


The Alpha's Mage: Epiphany - Season One

by Keitmeg



Series: The Alpha's Mage [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Comedy, M/M, Slow Build, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-04-20 22:16:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 180,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14270691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keitmeg/pseuds/Keitmeg
Summary: Sanji learns about fur balls that howl at the moon, telepathic Dragonairs, magic that exudes from a rune and his big crush on the snarky Alpha.





	1. Pilot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROOFREAD BY: Shantell Haggins
> 
>  

 

  

 

Sanji had moved over to the town of Wano a few years ago. He was born to a father who worked for the armed forces and a mother who had taken pride in their long family history of military service before they died when he turned eighteen. Their patriotic passion must have ran out of fuel when Sanji reached the age where he could actually use a parental advice on how to operate from then on; nice going, Mom and Dad, pretty convenient.

He’s lived in Wano’s lands for the longest of times. Grew accustomed to its nooks and hooks until ‘strange’ became the definition of normal in his dictionary. Sanji doesn't remember the last time he found something strange, utterly strange, or slightly strange. Everything is normal, everything has always been normal. He doesn't find it strange when people ask about his parents and soon apologize when they find out they stumbled into a buzz saw, which, according to him, they didn't. He doesn't find it strange when his old neighbor Tsuru keeps requesting he goes to marriage interviews that she keeps arranging. And this one is pretty infuriatingly strange by human standards. Not to besmirch, she might be trying to play the mother figure here, Sanji understands that as well, but since when do neighbors invade their other neighbors' privacy? But he doesn't find it strange. He only smiles to her when she lines a few photo frames of some ridiculously pretty ladies on his kitchen counter and tells him to choose the one he likes most. He smiles more when she gets upset after he turns her down, and then he hugs her to make it up for her, because he knows, he knows well that she won't give up and she'll come back the next day with more photos for him to pick. He doesn't find it strange when someone sees the spiral tattoo on his left wrist and asks about its meaning, and then they crinkle their faces when he just shakes his head and smiles, because he, too, doesn't really know its meaning or why he has it in the first place. He doesn't find it strange when strange –emphases on strange here– things happen in Wano at night.

He doesn't find the strange things, strange. He doesn't find a lot of things strange, and doesn't complain about it either. Everything is as ordinary as the prevalent parochialism some of this town’s inhabitants comport.

Except for the dreams he keeps having.

Not a day goes by without him waking up clammy with sweat that his persistent sudoriferous glands keep secreting, along with a debilitating and equally dull pain around his tattoo. His vision becomes blurry and his head always throbs as if being hammered against an anvil, on a repeated basis, too. That proved troublesome as well as worrisome at some point –try waking up to daily migraines, not so much fun I bet; but even the little trips he makes occasionally to the doctor's proved useless, because after all the drills of getting CT scans and blood tests, and more blood tests, they couldn't find anything wrong with him.

It's August 2nd, 2015 in Wano. It's a beautiful, sunny evening outside. Sanji has finally finished washing the plates from his lunch meal, and is now donning on his blue Henley, his favorite. He’s relaxed in flare jeans, and the sneakers, of course. Now, he is all set to go. His job isn't something that makes prodigals sons crawl back in a repentant return, there isn’t much money on his paycheck to waste, but he still does it because he likes it. It's the tranquility of this antique shop and the mere knowledge that he doesn't have to deal with unsatisfied clients who keep complaining and snorting like a swine of pigs cluttering for food when they haggle everything and you just smile and force your anger, that mere consolation is what keeps him here. He doesn't have to deal with curious coworkers who keep prying into very intimate details of his private life and he just grins awkwardly and tries to literally wiggle his way out of it. Well, he just doesn't have to do a lot of uncomfortable things.

Inside this store, clients of different ages queue up by the counter after they’d picked out anything that was somehow to their liking, and they paid in cash, that's it and it's wonderful.

 You still don't end up with a headache, but Sanji’s case is different. He still couldn’t figure out what caused his morning headaches.

 

 

The store owner, Zeff, comes regularly on Mondays, Thursdays and on the first day of every weekend to keep an eye out on the store and on his new assistant. It’s not the sort of watchful supervision, that’s obnoxiously overbearing.He does it because having to finally retire and leave the place that brought so much joy to other people and himself and then handing it to someone else is probably a lot like giving his bride daughter away, and he still misses her.

Thankfully, Sanji had proved himself to be adequate enough to run the store on his own while the owner was away.This job was only supposed to be a temporary thing until Zeff’s business overseashad been done, but after he noticed how loyal Sanji was to this ‘boring’ job –as he called it, he decided to make his position permanent, and hasn’t once doubted that decision.

   
While Sanji is glad to have his company, he just couldn't put two and two together about the situation here.Today isn't even Monday or Thursday, nor is it the beginning of the weekend either, so what is Zeff doing at the shop on this lovely Sunday?

"Running errands." The older man suddenly replies to the unasked question over his shoulder. It’s concise but Sanji understands it perfectly fine since the man is busy relining the seven sets of vintage bottles on a shelf, and he wipes the last one before he finally puts it down next to its sisters.

"Want any help?" Sanji offers, drumming his fingers over the oak-made counter he's been propping his elbows on.

"Actually, yes. I’d use some." He finally turns around towards the younger male, and crosses his arms over his chest, "this is a little embarrassing but I'm actually trying to find something to give an old friend of mine for his birthday."

Sanji’s lips widen into a grin, "gladly,” he chirps, now rolling up the sleeves of the Henley to his elbows.

Although Zeff has never dived into a lengthy chat with the young man, because sometimes the latter tends to get self-assertive in an overbearing way, he knows for a fact that Sanji always has the best of intentions and puts the welfare of others before his own. But so long as he keeps that up, narrow-minded people will continue to condemn him, say he’d always be brash, which has and will never be true.

After rummaging thru old stacked up cardboard boxes and going through some items,Sanji found some pretty unique items,some actually truly unique items if the miniature skeletal dragon is enough to credit that assumption, Sanji finally settled on a collection of three carved wood panels. He proposes his idea to the owner and it is met with excited agreement. The owner leaves the shop then, and Sanji grabs the book he’d happened to find while frisking about the shelves. He can't tell how many hours have passed him by already as new clients came by and left. He is about to give up waiting on another one, seeing how almost dark it’s gotten outside when another client comes in, and this particular client here –who is a regular by the way, is Sanji’s favorite. They’d already exchanged a few words in the past three months he started working here, though the young client seemed reluctant to have any other conversation with him, there were still those special moments when he smiled back and asked about the weirdest things, maybe because Sanji couldn't define what strange is that made the young client feel at ease to linger around more than usual clients.

"So, Coby," Sanji started, now leaning his cheek on his left hand and lazily spinning on the stool he's sitting on, "What’ you buying today?"

Coby narrows his eyes behind those round frame glasses and tugs at the hems of his yellow T-shirt with a text that reads (Bite me). "A Xiezhi sculpture,” he replies, “do you have it here?"

Sanji purses his lips and shrugs slightly, "depends on what Xiezhi means."

Coby looks around, as if trying to locate it himself without having to explain what it is to Sanji, "A Haetae, the legendary creature that is shaped like a lion and has a horn on its forehead, a bell on its neck?" He clears his throat, a little enraged for some reason, "it has scales on its body?"

Sanji beams suddenly, "I know what a Haetae is, Coby." He grins now, "It’s Xiezhi that I don't."

"So, you have a sculpture or a miniature statue of it?"

"Well, now that I know Xiezhi is another word for Haetae," Sanji leaves the stool and walks up towards the shorter male and then past him, knowing the other will follow suit as he saunters between the shelves. "I remember seeing it somewhere around here, and it's painted too." He looks over his shoulder and sends the other a wink, "trying to be a hero and protect the town from disasters?"

Coby blushes hard and shakes his head after a moment of what obviously seemed like reluctance, "n-no, nothing like that," he swallows again, looking currently elsewhere, "maybe" he mumbles but Sanji hears it.

"What’ you mean?" His eyebrows meet in a crease now.

"Strange things are happening in town, it's really obvious but people overlook it just like that," he grouses with a tone of someone who’s heard the reiteration of the question many times before. "I don't understand why, it makes me furious."

Sanji studies him for a second, and then rests his hands over the kid's shoulder, now bowing down to meet his shy eyes, "I know about that –I mean what with the things that happen every now and then in town and go unnoticed by the people here, well I wouldn't say unnoticed but I guess you get the point here."

The other shakes his head.

Sanji makes a small eye-roll and tightens his grip on the other's shoulder, "I mean, if we worry about everything that happens occasionally we won't be able to work and survive the day, being scared all the time doesn't help either, except it keeps you guarded, and careful, which is good." He bites his bottom lip for a second, and then adds, "And I'm sure the police is working on it. I advise you against doing anything stupid until this whole case is over."

"The police can't do anything, have you even checked the number of the unsolved cases they have? They're breaking an international record."

"Well, give them a chance to," he smiles more, but soon furrows when perspiration start running down Coby’s forehead, "hey buddy, you okay?"

"Sir,” his tone is warranting, “I know I'm not making any sense"

Sanji squints up and gives him the ‘you-sure-about-that’ look.

"Okay. I never make sense." He admits, finally looking the taller in the eyes, "but I want you to be careful. We're facing off a new threat and I absolutely have no idea how to deal with it, even though the pack is trying hard and like I'm–" he cuts himself off and slaps a hand over his mouth, it’s reckless and haphazard if Sanji is being fair. "I... I mean, I need the sculpture, now."

Sanji finally lets him go and wheels around, "here, found it!" He snatches it from top of the shelf –since he's taller, and he hands it back to Coby.

Coby storms out of the shop soon after he pays for the sculpture, leaving Sanji, bewildered and befuddlement-bound.Clickingthe cash register’s buttons to open it, he is tries to replay their conversation while tucking the bills into the drawer when, so out of the blue, his tattoo throbs. Agonizing ticks travel up his arm and his fist unclenches, sending the money to the ground. Sanji chews on his bottom lip while pressing a hand on the tattoo, it's hurting and the pain is almost unbearable.

_‘Darn…..,_

_He still needs to bring the sign of the shop outside in,……_

_He has to close up……_

_He has to buy dinner…._

_….and has to pay his neighbor a visit too. He has to_... ‘

but the chain of thoughts is somehow cut in a half when he hits the ground.Wheezingand gasping as the pain goes to his head now, he feels theburning; it's a sickening feeling that makes him nauseous. He doesn't care anymore. He takes a nosedive to the frayed rug at his feet and forces his eyes shut, praying the pain would quell on its own as he breathes through it.

 It won’t, and his head is officially doling out threats to split open.

This kind of pain happened only once in the past, doctors, as usual, couldn't find any triggers whatsoever. It’s not like he really needed a bundle of freaking hospital lingo to know that it was bad, and now without any warnings, it's happening again, and he's not happy to meet his old friend again.

His vision tunnels in on the floor, he slowly and peacefully closes his eyes, hoping for painless oblivion.

 

Is this a Déjà-vu, the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon? Why is he seeing this the moment he thinks about it? Why is he seeing this dream again?

The things he sees in his dream are what he's afraid to call strange. He's petrified that he just keeps watching as things progress from bad to worse in his dream. One moment, he is seeing a happy Asian family –Japanese, he can tell, around the dinner table. Up on the ceiling is the same symbol of his tattoo, a spiral. It still doesn't make any sense because he has never seen any of those faces. He doesn't recognize any of them. He is still trying to think back on where he had seen them when suddenly the table goes aflame, and the faces get caught in fire and are gradually melting down like waxed puppet show. Sanji is trying to tell them to move –the people, and to make for a run, but his words stay locked down his throat, and the inability leaves him bustling with anger like a raving maniac; His tattooed hand darts forward to open a window in hopes for the flames to be out but it gets caught between huge fangs of a furry creature. Its red eyes glow at Sanji. He hears himself panting but is unable to move his hand away, he's watching as the brocaded drapes catch fire beside everything else. It all happens so fast. Then, the creature presses the fangs on the bone as though chewing on a knuckle and his arm gets chopped off just like that. The blood spurts around and it’s downright ugly, oh and it hurts, Sanji whimpers, it hurts, hurts...

  
"...right? Are you alright?"

Sanji feels a hand on his shoulder shaking him, and he groans in protest.

"He smells funny." such a modulated voice, a girl’s. And, lady, that’s rude.

Sanji pries his eyes open, it’s only a blur at first but nothing a few more blinks won’t fix. He tries to make out the hazy forms before him, finding five people hovering, peering at him with wary eyes. He recoils to the back with a little yelp, sight refocusing at last.

There’s a black-haired, long-faced with a skin of a God, well-built man in a black ensemble of black sleeved shirt, jeans and shoes in front of him who looks roughly in his late twenties. He is slightly taller than Sanji and the latter isn’t sheering. The dark color of the man’s hair somehow fuses with the midnight sky, his eyes sharp and deep. Behind the man there’s another, short, brown-eyed, tan-skinned teenager with a cleft chin dressed in a plain beige tee and black pants. Sanji glances over at the red-haired at his left, can’t help it when his eyes travel to her cleavage but her daunting smirk makes him look away at the tallest guy among them, wide-eyed, curly haired, another male standing at the rear, keeping a little distance between him and the rest.

"W-who are you?" Sanji manages after a large gulp, and for some reason it comes out hoarse, and he is slightly embarrassed.

"The owners of this place?"

Sanji looks around to assess his whereabouts. All he can see in the darkness around is the trees clapping and staring intently back at him, and the street lights a few miles away looking like spilled pearls. "And where is exactly this place?" Sanji asks, shoulders slowly going up. "I think I'm lost." And quickly scratches his nape with a small hint of a smile.

"Lost?" The guy at the rear echoes, "as in walked around, climbed up that hill to see the town in the middle of the night under the little stars, and lost your track there and got lost, kind of lost?" He adds. Yeah figures, because short people always have saucy as well as snide remarks ready up their sleeves.

"What can I say, I'm poetic." Sanji replies in monotone.

"Well, nothing really poetic about getting lost in the woods." The cleft-chinned huffs and his friend chortles, obviously liking the comeback.

"’Could say the same about your little group date going on here." Sanji ushers towards them with a flailing arm, "maybe we can light up a little bonfire too, and do a voodoo dance, y'know, spice things up?"

"Do your little dance at home." The curly-haired berates, seemingly annoyed, "don't you know this is private property?"

Sanji looks minutely around and quickly wraps his arms around his chest, it escaped him earlier but it seems the woods drop cold after the sun sets "how did I even get here?" He mumbles to himself and looks around at the ground now, "has anyone seen my phone? I promise I'll leave I just need my phone."

"How did you get here anyway?" A new voice, a female’s, asks.

Sanji looks up and finds a round-faced, caramel-haired girl in twin tails approaching him. He doesn't acquiesce to answer, just crouches down and dusts off the parts where he thinks he's just seen something flash and glitter.

"There's a wire wall just a few miles away, how did you get past it?" She asks again and crouches down as well to look with him for the phone.

Sanji looks up, bottom lip snaking between two rows of teeth, but he goes back to searching again, averting eye-contact, "to tell you the truth, I have no idea, and no don't look at me like that," he tells her after she presses her lips and gives him her don't-bull-me-young-man face, "I'm the same as you, I swear. One second I'm at the shop and later I'm in the middle of the woods squabbling over pretty much nothing with a bunch of weirdoes who like to role-play."

"What’ you mean over nothing?" The other female squints her eyes down at him pensively, "you're on a land that is protected with a wire wall, in the middle of the woods, in the middle of the night, and you're only giving us bull on a silver platter," she is finding her manicured nails more interesting now as she stares at them, "you gotta give us more than that, or we'll call it trespassing and have the cops deal with you."

"I have no interest in your little garden here.” He says on a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes, “I'd like to retrieve my phone and go back to the shop –since I most likely left it open and close it, Then I’d like to go home and sleep and forget this night ever happened, thank you, very much."

"Who is Law?" The man in black, and probably the least childish one of them asks.

Sanji’s knees give out now and he props on his haunches to look up at the man. He narrows his eyes up at the man, “I literally just met you, a complete stranger,” he almost smiles in amusement, “wouldn’t you normally ask for my name first?”

The other furrows in response.

Sanji sighs bitterly, "How do you know him?"

"You weren't responding when we tried to rouse you, but you kept mumbling the name, figured it'd mean something." He shrugs his left shoulder a little, hair fluttering as a small chilly wind passes by. 

"No, it doesn't." Sanji looks away for a second and then stands up and tries to approach the man, but he is surprised that the others are scowling at him and moving to stand between and the other. "Okay. First of all, I wasn't going to eat him –that would make perfect sense since he's the only one trying to actually be civilized here and wait a MO, you guys knew I was out of it when I came here? Why the hell were you making it sound like I was a thief?"

"You were already fainted on the ground when we got here." The shorter girl reports to him.

Sanji rubs his eyes with the heels of his hands, "yeah," he nods slowly, now propping down on his haunches, "I blacked out back at the shop, figured I'd still be there when I woke up, didn't know I was sleepwalking, or whatever this is." Should he add sleepwalking to the tally?

“You need to leave.” The man suddenly blurts out, voice deep.

Wow and here Sanji thought he was the least childish, forgot the part about a guy in his late –probably mid twenties hanging out with a group of teenagers past their curfew, “Does tact mean anything in your dictionary or is the term a little foreign to you?” Sanji goads, bemused, “poise, savoir faire? Ring any bells? Want me to continue? ‘cause I can.” The man’s furrow deepens so Sanji lets go of another weary sigh, “Fine, I’m getting off your property.” He lifts up and his knee cracks, “I’ll walk back, no need to worry about me walking back by myself, in the woods, in the middle of the night with possible angsty leopards lurking by.”

The man flares his nostrils, “Wait.” He orders.

“Hey, I don’t work for your father,” Sanji finally berates, “make up your god damn mind.”

"You can stay.” The man suddenly says, droning, he draws nearer to Sanji, making the others step rearward as he does, "I’ll send someone to check on your shop.”

Sanji wanted, really wanted to take those two steps towards the back, but ever heard of the expression 'rooted to the spot'? Well, it isn't just an expression anymore.

"No, it's fine really. I can walk back to the town or grab a taxi or something."

The others snort, and the tanned guy sneers at him, "there are no taxis in the woods smartass, and the town is a few miles down north, who are you kidding."

"Like, if you say one more word, I'm seriously going to do something about that nasty mouth of yours." Sanji aims his pointing finger now at the other, who chuckles back playfully.

"Let's head back. It's late." The apparently-bipolar man says as he walks up the hill, the others follow suit but are throwing grumblings about specifics, which Sanji figures out, the little shits don't want him around, "it's only for tonight, and he doesn't look dangerous."

Sanji scoffs, "really, look who's talking, Mr. Black Ensemble." He mumbles to himself in a low whisper but he is stupefied to see the others come to a halt and turn around to glare at him. "What? I mean look at his clothes? He's practically dressed like a killer."

They shake their heads ruefully and go back to complaining, but louder this time, "Does he really need to stay?" and "Can we just leave him here or something?" That's got to be the short guy. That little shit!

"Guys, I can hear you, y'know."

“That's the point!" They tell him off in unison.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art Copyright© kdash  
> Art Copyright© Pixiv Id 1398853


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROOFREAD BY: Shantell Huggins
> 
> Family name Vinsmoke's been changed to Vins.
> 
> Star Guests:
> 
> Roronoa Zoro as Ronoa Zoro  
> Dracule Mihawk as Dracule Mia  
> Franky as Frank  
> Keimi, Nami, Usopp, also Tsuru and Luffy as themselves.

 

 

“At least be a little discreet about it–” his mouth opens in a muted gasp as soon as he sees the house (read: villa) ahead. That's where they were heading to? That's where they live? "This is where you live?" Yeah he's got to say it out loud too, because he isn't making a fool out of himself enough to feel bad about it.

The others –except for Mr. Black Ensemble, smirk at him and usher him inside. Sanji’s jaw drops more and all he can do is watch with astounded eyes as they give him a little tour around the first floor. He is denied access to the rest of the house, which might be for the best.

Sanji is standing like a lost little lamb in the middle of the hall when suddenly a hand nudges his arm, so he whips his head around only to meet Mr. Black Ensemble’s igniting eyes motioning towards the west side of the hall.

"You can sit on the sofa over there until I come back." He says and climbs up the stairs in complete silence.

Sanji does as recommended, and, again, can only stare in amazement with his lips gaping in a wide 'o'. He hears a snicker from the side and cranes his head a bit to see what is happening. That must be the kitchen. ‘ _Man, does everything here shine?_ ’.

 The kids are grabbing shrimp chips, Chocopie, Kinosei and cocoa covered puffed rice, and, ah, would you look at that, biscuit sticks and candy kits -vanilla flavored, too!

‘ _How can they even survive on that junk?’_

They come back to the living room and each takes a seat over the couch. Actually only the girls take the couch, the other three guys sprawl on the floor. Sanji is again, left standing with his mouth hung open.

The TV is on and the kids sit still, just starring ahead and watching, and nope, he isn't going to do the same. He isn't going to watch late night general news, and if they weren't to touch him with a ten-feet pole, he could just make himself useful and cook something to eat until their father, guardian –or whatever because it's getting weird as he thinks about it– comes back.

He's in the kitchen now, and he can’t help but drool once he opens the refrigerator doors. Every ingredient he needs is there. Good, then he won't need to make quick trips to any markets. Which slightly worries him thinking there aren't any open at this late hour. He adds another point to the tally of awesomeness that is this house just for that. He's fast after that as he makes Tonkatsu and Takoyaki, some side dishes and of course rice, it's around one in the morning when he takes the dishes inside and puts them down on the table between the TV and the sofa. He's glad that they're sighing happily and scenting the food with dreamy eyes, throwing ‘you can cook!’ and ‘smells so good’ every now and then. Yep, he's satisfied, actually never been happier. Tsuru doesn't count because she's still weird when she says Sanji is the apple of her eyes, but that sort of makes her a doting mother figure instead. So, yeah. "I've made a lot, make sure you eat all of it."

Then the frowning‘ _for-no-reason-man_ ’ –jeez he's got to give him a name or something, Sanji can't keep relying on his imagination, he walks down the stairs, barefooted, relaxed in his grey sweatpants and a white T shirt.

"Just in time, please sit down." Sanji motions at the table, "did you expect me to eat crunchy chips and energy drinks on an empty stomach?" He says as he sits at the table, cross-legged.

The shorter girl –again damn it, it's starting to sound just so wrong, she brings her chopsticks forward to pick a Takoyaki but Sanji slaps her hand (gently) and points at the tall man –again, jeez– "we'll start after he does."

Sanji then is slightly embarrassed at the stares he receives suddenly, but they soon nod, all of them, and wait for the man to sit and give them the go. "Itadakimasu" he says, the others echo after him and soon start digging, albeit uncomfortably.

"This is not crap after all, kinda doesn't smell like you do."

"Hey I don't smell, you–" Sanji cuts himself short, and then trails a little sheepishly, "Vins." And again several eyes are scanning him. That's rude by the way. He sighs exasperatedly and says again "it's Sanji, my name is Sanji Vins, now I'd like to learn yours because I seriously can't keep distinguishing you by your height only."

"The stuck-up looking redhead on your left is Nami." The raven-haired male says calmly, man, glad we have a grown-up here, and check this out, she isn't even denying it! "The other girl is Kimei." Sanji looks at her and she grins cutely at him and then dumps another Tokoyaki in her small mouth. "The guy over there is Frank, next to him is Luffy." They lift their jaws towards him with their mouths full. "Lastly, is Usopp."

Oh, the little who won't quit talking back at him!

"And what's yours?" Sanji asks while looking right into the other's sharp eyes.

"I'm Ronoa Zoro."

Sanji actually smiles at him even though he doesn't receive one back.

"What do you do for a living?" Keimi asks out of the blue. Well, he's glad he got their names now and isn't forced to categorize them according to their height measurement; however, he's kind of really starting to regret it.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Luffy is taking a swing at him now, verbally.

"She's probably butt-ugly." And here we go again, Usopp! But hey, at least the kids are having a laugh. That's a sweet thing, isn't it?

"So you still live with your parents or something?" Keimi asks again now, but she's so darn cute Sanji can't bring himself to get mad at her.

"I don't." He replies, curtly.

"You live by yourself, cool!" She gushes, "Kinda lonely though, families are great."

"Well, that's true." Sanji can't help but agree with a patient smile. But the uneven pulsation of his heart is telling a different story.

"So why don't you live with them?" Now the stuck-up looking girl is interested, oh just great, "you know it's not really embarrassing to live with your parents nowadays," she added, and Sanji’s heart is high rocketing at the tirade because he can't ignore the vision he sees every night in his dream: those happy faces and warm smiles, those honest giggles caught aflame–

"Enough." Zoro orders calmly, and it's all it takes to shut everyone up. "Let him eat."

His heart starts to slow down. He is grateful, but again, he doesn't get a smile back. The kids take care of the dishes and of cleaning up the table, while Zoro and Sanji walk up to the porch of the front door. Sanji sits down on the stairs and gazes up, but the stars blazing the sky catch his eyes, and he stares, with doleful eyes, blown away.

Zoro leans against the door frame with his shoulder.

"Thanks for dinner." He says from behind, "we don't usually cook so it was a different experience."

"You’re welcome." Sanji chirps.

He could hear shuffling and then Zoro is walking to sit beside him, "and they were being quite rude to you, I apologize."

"I didn't expect an apology, but hey" he looks at him now, "they're just kids, bumped with sugar and a little dash of hormones. You just need to be on guard when you're in that kind of situation."

"But you looked like you were ready to run out of your skin." Zoro smirks and it makes the butterflies inside Sanji’s stomach jump. Now, he isn’t pugnacious in nature, would never go out of his way to get into troubles, but he isn’t quite sure whether the lurch of his stomach just now was him being hostile, or dumbfounded. He switches to look at the other’s lips, but quickly realizes that he is staring back and it won't be so polite of him to just keep staring at his lips.

"Yeah, I don't usually ask people about a lot of stuff so I'm not sure how to react when I'm asked stuff like that." He shrugs and looks up at the sky again. "It's embarrassing, too."

"So you do live with your parents." Zoro teases.

"No I don't, really." Sanji rubs his nape and he can feel it slightly growing hot, "my parents are dead so" he shrugs again, "you can't exactly have that one big happy family kind of atmosphere when you're by yourself. I mean it's cool, well somehow, but still" now he is just a babbling mess, better make this not about him, then. It's always a good strategy. "So are you guys like family or just camping or what, exactly?" Now Sanji prompts, inwardly expecting the other to lash out, verbally and/or physically.

"Family."Zoro simply corrects, and, damn, why does it sting so bad beneath his ribcage?

"It must feel nice." Sanji nods, his elbows propped on his knees, "must be nice" he corrects himself.

"It is." Zoro agrees so bluntly,

The few minutes that follow go under complete silence, and Sanji doesn't have the heart to ruin the moment by asking a 'stranger' because he doesn't even know what the word means. What is strange? He is contemplating more when suddenly a hand rests on his shoulder.

"I'm going back inside, try not to stay up." Zoro says, and adds, "I've already called someone to check on the shop, you closed it." He says about that and returns back inside.

Sanji nods but isn't yet ready to go back. He is smoothing his ruffled feathers and is feeling slightly happy about it, he is happier now that he is maybe able to define what 'strange' is because Zoro didn't mutter sorry with his head ducked after he learned his parents were dead.

Wait, how did he know which shop it was when Sanji had told him nothing?

Oh no, what are those glowing things behind the tree lines?

Sanji isn’t going to sit there to find out. He quickly scrambles back into the house and shuts the door with a loud thud.

_‘What the hell was that?’_

The house falls silent all of a sudden, and he doesn't linger by the front door. He walks back to the couch and sees that it's empty and available for him tonight. Lucky! He flops down on it, his head slowly leaning on the armrest and his legs somehow fit on it, though he's leaning a little askew, but he's a survivor. He doesn't complain when people are being hospitable. Now all he thinks about is the tattoo, why did it start throbbing all of a sudden, and how did he walk up into the woods and get himself lost? What if he wasn't found by these people? Would his fate have been completely different? No, he's too tired to think of 'what ifs', they don't work anyway. Tomorrow, he's going to wake up and make them breakfast. He'll leave before they're even up, and he'll forget about this night and go back to his life.

 

 

 

The sun sneaks through the slits in the curtains and lands harshly on his face. Sanji’s eyes flutter and then he's up. He's a little taken aback when he sees the blanket on him. He tries to remember and he does vaguely remember Zoro hushing him and flinging the blanket over him. Sanji thought it was a dream, and speaking of dreams... he didn't have one tonight. This calls for a celebration. He's going to make a wonderful, almost royal breakfast all for himself. Well, he will leave some to the others of course, it’s not like he owns the house.

He sets the plan on motion and makes a fancy breakfast. He's quick and fast and all together masterful as he slices the vegetables with such accuracy it should win him Chief of the Year. And he's humming, he's genuinely, happily humming, which hasn't happened in a long time. Actually it never did, until now it seems. But those days are over, this is a new era, Sanji.

He doesn't know what to write now that he's done making the food. He already took his share and now he is wondering what to write on the note because leaving just like that makes it feel like the morning after a one-night stand, where the girls are usually the ones to flee. "Thanks for last night?" no it just sounds unfitting, "thanks and here's the address to my shop, feel free to come by? Well that might work, so" he checks his watch and it's showing half past six, he'll just go back to his house and get some more sleep.

  
He climbs down the hill and after walking a pretty good few kilometers, he finally sees the wire wall they talked about.

What was that about trespassing again? There's a gap the size of a freaking satellite plate, even animals can walk through that thing, and they even made him feel bad about it. He soon forgets about it when he reaches his house, Tsuru is knocking on his door just after he takes off the Henley, he puts it back on again and opens the door for her.

"Honey, I know it's a little early but I was worried you didn't come back last night."

"Oh, sorry, but I promise it's nothing to worry about."

"I made some chocolate cookies just now if you want some?"

"That'd be lovely. You know I love the food you make, so I'll come back for them later?" He leans down to plant a kiss on her forehead, "I jogged this morning and I must smell. I'm going to shower, okay?"

"Alright honey, just don't forget to come by for the cookies, you know Law likes them a lot, and he might eat them all if you don't hurry." She says that with a serene smile and retreats to her house, but Sanji is not smiling anymore. He closes the door and bangs his forehead against it. He doesn't do it very loud, but he does it until it's painful enough to retreat to his shower too.

He's hugging his knees to his chest inside the bathtub while the water flushes down on his tired body. He doesn't want to move, he doesn't want to lift even a finger because it'd hurt. The way Tsuru smiles as she talks about her grandchild, that smile is too bright it’s twisting his heart. Right now, it makes Sanji feel so guilty, he's guilty because even though she talks about Law and smiles while doing it, Sanji knows that Law is buried at Wano cemetery. Something burrs loudly, something like a whistle is noisily burring in his ears and he just doesn't know how to deal with pain anymore. Everything hurts, his whole life hurts. Law isn't around anymore, and he has to deal with Tsuru every morning when she brings him up in her daily chitchats. Sometimes, Sanji wonders if she knows he's dead and she just plays with his mind, tries to twist his heart harder each day to make him relive the pain of loss and make him feel guilty about his death. He's not sure anymore.

*******

“–no town the police says that the victim this time is an eighteen-year-old boy. Evidence shows no signs of struggle so they’re suspecting the culprit and the victim knew each other. But the fact remains that his heart and kidney were gone. Authorities are also relating this to human trafficking–” the newscaster’s voice suddenly goes off when Sanji mutes down the volume with a grimace and flings the remote on the sofa.

He's walking down the footpath to the store now and is feeling a lot better after napping for a couple of hours. The last of Tsuru’s cookies taste heavenly just like the rest he's eaten while sauntering down the road. He's going to make sure to thank her again for the cookies because, man, chocolate chip cookies aren't supposed to taste this great.

Maybe he should take some to the victim’s family because they live just a few blocks away, but then, he didn’t take any cookies to the other three victims’ families in the last three months. It’s been really frustrating to keep having dead bodies dropping around the town. This town is really peaceful, quiet and doesn’t hurt people –well nothing actually like those freaky towns where everyone waves at you and everyone knows what you had for dinner. So why would anyone kill anything here? And to make matters worse, all the three victims who’d been heartlessly killed in the last three months were all women, pregnant women whose fetuses were somehow taken out of them without any surgery marks left behind. He sighs as he shoves his hands into the side pockets of his jeans. Now, it’s a boy with a missing kidney and heart?

He is about to take the left turn when a cyclist screeches and shifts his bike off the road, there's a scream which echoes off nearby. Of course it's a woman who screams, they do that a lot by the way. A vehicle then somehow gains momentum as the road dips and it comes down fast. Sanji is flabbergasted and again, rooted to the spot. He has only a few seconds to… he doesn’t know, to do something? Before the driver loses control over his car and actually hit someone. The tattoo on his hand is acting up again and, seriously, Sanji doesn't have time for that now. Just as he snatches a motorcycle from its owner who’s also been watching, the car almost hits a couple of young girls who were about to cross the road and Sanji darts his tattooed hand towards the car’s direction. It's nothing like they show you in a freaking slow motioned action scene, because real things move fast and you don't hear anything as the disaster transpires. You feel helpless. You  _are_  helpless... until the car stops. The car actually stops when a few seconds ago, it couldn’t.

Sanji doesn't stay there to give his statement to the police, they'll figure it out –except police never figures it out. The poor guys are always the last to come. Yet, he can't figure it out himself. Why did it stop all of a sudden, considering the force with which it stopped was anything but ordinary?

What if the car didn't stop at all?

The shop is still closed, and Sanji is glad to find his phone inside on the ground when he enters. He's doing the usual: getting back to e-mails left by some online buyers, dusting off the front items and rearranging them to fit the scene so that, once clients come in, that way they'd be able to see what used to be unseen.

Sanji, then, receives an unexpected client and is surprised to see Keimi in the shop.

"You really came!" He exclaims while spinning on the stool side to side, his fingers still on the keyboard, trying to reply back to some purchase orders from their regular online buyers.

Keimi walks around and eyes the items. She pokes a ceramic owl sculpture and grins when the owl ululates, or howls –he doesn’t know what the frigging owl does. "’Wanted to thank you for this morning’s breakfast."

Sanji purses his lips and shrugs, "that's sweet of you."

"It’s not just me, the pa– I mean they all think the same." She looks up at her reflection on the large mirror hooked to the ceiling.

"The fauna of mirrors," Sanji drones. He suddenly stops typing on the keyboard and looks at the girl, who looks back at him and arches up an eyebrow. "The idea was to make all the items you see down here reflect up on the mirror above, it sort of gives the shop another feeling. If you look at the mirror, you're going to think there's an entirely different dimension behind it." He shrugs then, "it's an ancient Chinese myth actually."

She looks at the mirror again and nods with a wide grin, "it's really true. Creative."

He presses his lips together and nods slightly to the side, "so" he stretches the last vowel, "about the wire wall."

She nods and walks up to the counter like she's doing business.

"I saw this huge hole in there, bet someone used a rope cutter or a hacksaw to get it loose, but then the edges were actually not cut, they were torn? They definitely were plucked off the ground." He whirls more on the stool, and rolls his eyes when she gives him another skeptical stare. "Look, I felt really bad last night for 'trespassing'." He quotes in the air, "and then I couldn't just do nothing about it, it's not like I wanted to go into the woods in the middle of the night. I mean who does that?" His shoulders arch up.

"Tell me about it." She widens her eyes and shakes her head, as if he’s just asked the stupidest question in history.

"That's why I'm making sure you get this, because the hole in the wall wasn't my doing. I know I don't remember how I got there, but I know I didn't do that." He uses his hands now to assert his point, "I couldn't possibly pluck off a wire wall 2-3 feet beneath the ground. I'm not that strong."

He smiles at her, and she sighs in relief after a few moments, "I know you're telling the truth, I'm not worried about the wire anymore. Mr. Ronoa can just rush out and spend a few bucks on some cable guy to fix it, personality-wise." She shrugs. Yep and here he is, worrying his ass off about his kitchen sink that's been leaking for weeks even after the one off job repair he's done.

"Speaking of him, how did he know about this shop?" But she doesn't seem like she got the point, so he elaborates, "last night he said he was going to make sure I closed the shop, but I did not give him the address. He just assured me I closed it."

She pales for a second and fumbles with the lock in the shape of a wolf on the counter, "not sure, maybe you told him and forgot? Well, you did forget how you got lost in the woods." Does she have a remarkable aptitude for turning tables and making it look like it's entirely his fault for being a complete idiot.

He can't help but agree, "Yeah, must be that." He scratches his forehead now.

"And, Sanji?" She starts shyly, "sorry about how we bombarded you with questions last night, totally immature of us."

"Yes, 'cause trolling me was too much fun on its own." He looks elsewhere now.

She grins wickedly, "It was. Sorry." She grins cutely now and, darn, Sanji forgives her just like that. "And if it's any consolation, we seriously got an earful from Mr. Ronoa last night. I used to think the guy never actually cared about anything beside smiting evil and keeping everyone a hundred yards from his bedroom, but he growled at us, like literally!"

Sanji furrows his brows , "can't really picture it" Pffsh… kids and their imagination!

They look at each other for a second and suddenly burst out laughing.

Another client comes in, the door chirps, and their laughter slowly dies away as they wait for them to appear. It turns out to be Coby in a different T shirt today, a lime green sweater with a text that reads (Go, Green Party!)

"Coby."

Sanji and Keimi call out at the same time, and the three look at each other a little taken aback, "you guys know each other?" She asks.

"Well, he's a regular here so." Sanji said, "What about you?"

"We go to the same school." She juts up her jaw towards the spectacled boy, and the latter nods at her and walks up toward them, "actually same class, too."

Sanji remembers that it's a vacation and doesn't dwell on it. "Did the Haetae work?" Coby nods and smiles for what seems like the first time in forever, and Sanji’s heart beats with relief, "you can smile, that's cute Coby."

Said kid shies away and glances elsewhere, smiling even wider now, "I need a Kkoktu."

"Do yogvu think these things work?" Keimi rests her hands on her hips now.

"It depends on what you believe. They really work if you believe them to." He tells her.

"But what are you using them for, I mean what’ you think is happening in town?" She asks more seriously now.

"Evil spirits, monstrous creatures that kill people?" Coby replies, and soon follows Sanji as the latter lifts off the stool and aims the shelves. "I just use protector sculptures, so if it's a bad spirit that's causing these murders then a Kkoktu can lead them and protect them."

"If I follow your theory –which I'm really not, just trying to have a conversation here," Sanji tells him as he looks around at the items? “I’d say spirits can’t really cause such horrific injuries to people, no matter how bad they are, also” –he turns around once he grabs the Kkoktu, and watches their puppy-eyes glittering at him– “bad spirits cause only minimal damage when it comes to physical injuries. They’re spirits, they can move and elevate objects, cause a few injuries here and there. They cannot, however, take out a fetus from a mother’s womb. Besides, bad spirits aren’t interested in hurting people as much as they’re interested in possessing, y’know, like they want a second chance in life and stuff? But I'm still theoretically speaking so no funny ideas.” Wait, did he just say bad spirits are harmless? Forget about the part where he said harmless, did he just admit that evil spirits exist? He physically shakes his head out of the awkward thoughts he's having and is surprised to see the other two looking at him with a thoughtful silence. You know it’s never a good sign when kids do that.

"That makes a lot of sense actually." Coby says, resignedly. "So if that’s the case the Kkoktu is useless."

Keimi gives him a sympathetic pat to his drooped shoulder, “I guess it’s not.”

“You guys aren’t seriously buying what I’ve just said.” Sanji’s lips part into a wide grin, but more in a surprised way as if someone’s unable to believe some news about something big and they’re just shaking their head in denial.

“Then who do you suggest is killing these people?” Coby requires, almost desperately. The poor kid is scared senseless.

“Don’t you guys watch the news?” Sanji shakes his head again and walks back to the counter to scan the damn Kkoktu. “The murders are obviously related to human trafficking, or else how do you explain the missing organs?”

“What if it’s something other than bad spirits?” Keimi offers. Thank you, it wasn’t getting terrible enough for the poor kid who’s about to wet his pants!

Sanji breathes out through his nose and scans the sculpture again when the first try didn’t work, “monsters, spirits… they’re all in myths only, a superstition, nothing more.”

"Well, saying it doesn't change the fact that people are dying in pretty mysterious ways." Keimi shrugs slightly, and Coby is paling more next to her. "Sorry Coby."

"Yes, I'm touched," he huffs at her, "I'm screwed.”

Sanji smiles to himself at their antics, finally wraps the sculpture and puts it into a bag, “it’s on me.” He hands it to Coby, who gracefully takes it and grins. “Thank you, Sanji.” He bows and wishes them good night.

“Don’t let the monsters eat you!” Keimi shouts just before he gets out, and she is not surprised to see Coby’s middle fingers waving at her when he finally leaves the door.

It’s seven in the evening and Sanji has no idea how it got late that very quick, maybe because someone is keeping him company that he wasn’t careful enough about closing time. Not that he’s saying it’s a bad thing. Keimi helps him close up the shop and they are taken aback by the dark night veil that has, stealthily, caught up to them. She waves bye and just as she turns around, a yellow Porsche pulls over and the window of the passenger’s seat rolls down, unveiling a humbly handsome face Sanji’s never seen in his entire dull life. The girl seems to know him and she is not happy about it. Sanji’s brows knit in confusion and worry, and he watches how the guy is telling her something that soon makes her huff with annoyance. That’s when he decides to step in.

“Is there a problem here?”

“No, he was leaving!” She grouches and drags Sanji along from his sleeve as she stomps away. “If that guy ever talks to you, don’t give him time, OK?” she says “promise me!”

“Alright, jeez. Calm down first.” He tells her after he looks around and sees the car driving off, “who’s he anyway?”

She finally slows down and tags at the edges of her brown skirt, “his name’s Dracule Mia. He used to be pa –I mean a member of family.” She pushes her fringes away from her eyes, “anyways, he did some bad things and he’s got a new family now, so he’s history.”

“OK,” he nods, understandingly, “so what was he doing harassing you like that?”

“No, he was just asking about how everyone is doing, and stuff.” She shrugs a shoulder, obviously uncomfortable with the whole exchange.

Sanji walks towards opposite direction of his house, knowing the girl will follow.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“Walking you home?”

“Hey I’m a Were– I mean I’m not a kid, I can protect myself!”

“I’m walking you back because A) it’s very late and you should be home by now, B) girls shouldn’t be walking by themselves at night and C) A teenage boy was killed yesterday, eviscerated, actually” Which he doesn’t want to think about now, or ever, for that matter.

She doesn’t add anything else and just walks silently beside him, “I want to eat beef.”

This gets Sanji off balance and he almost trips over the next pebble, “I’m not going back to that house!”

“B-but you said you were going to walk me home! That’s technically up the hill and to the house.” She stops walking, too.

“First, I’m only walking you to the wire wall, and second, did you see how they look at me?” Sanji flails a hand towards the woods that are just a few feet away, “besides, I can’t invite myself over to your place a second time, it just doesn’t fit.”

“Why do you care how they look at you?” She crunches her face, confused, “and it’s not like they own the house or anything. Mr. Ronoa said you could come back any time any day.”

“That’s what society calls being tactfully polite.”

“They like you.”

“They hate me!”

“OK, I have to agree with that one.” She admits with a tilt of head, and he rolls his eyes as if to say exactly my point, the incongruity disheartening him, but then she adds hurriedly and almost apologetically “but they like the food you make...”

“I’m walking you up the hill and leaving, and that’s it.” He tells her as he brings his hands to his pockets again. Who lives in a freaking forest anyway?

“Maybe you don’t have to after all.” She informs from behind, and when he turns around, he sees another car, a classy, white Mercedes parking aside for them. “Come!” She grabs him from the elbow and takes him to the passenger’s side, “get in!” She gushes as she goes to open the door of the back seat, and ushers him in before she gets in herself. Sanji tries to look through the window but he can’t since it’s darkened. Well, it is night time and he shouldn’t have had that expectation. He finally opens the door with a sigh, an irritated one, and he gets in.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROOFREAD BY: Shantell Haggins

 

 

 

Do you know the blow you get to your stomach when your teacher suddenly gives you a pop quiz and you’ve prepared absolutely nothing, because, hello? It’s a pop freaking quiz, how the hell are you supposed to know about it? This is how Sanji is feeling –not like taking a test or fearing a quiz, it’s more about that blow to the stomach that you can’t prevent when it happens because you’ve just seen someone whom you’d thought you’d never see again for a second time. His ears and neck are growing hotter –sweltering hot. If sweat spills down his forehead it’d probably sizzle. He had no idea what to do with his fingers as they fidgeted. He never thought he’d think this but Mr. Ronoa is really intimidating.

“He can take us home.” Keimi finally saves him from the awkwardness. _You amazing human being, thank you._

“It’s really fine. I wasn’t planning to go anyway.” Sanji looks at the seats. Nice leather, by the way. He has no idea the kind of expression is adorning his face right now but he is certainly hoping he isn’t looking like a gaping fish.

“You can come over!” She gushes, and Sanji is slowly regretting calling her amazing. She’s earned it but her getting talkative is kind of tossing that out of the window. “Right, Mr. Ronoa? He can come with us?”

The said man glances over at Sanji for a fervent onceover, “We can’t push him.” He says curtly, in a voice so deep, on any other day, it’d make Sanji’s body melt away like an ice cube under the summer heat. Fuck… that sounded so _gay_.

Zoro’s left hand is on the steering wheel, and the other is loosely draped over his lap. His white, long-sleeved shirt is framing his bulky arms; it must border on ridiculous at how much the guy must train to look like that –like a walking menhir.

Sanji is both relieved, and disappointed. He’s relieved because Zoro has finally talked and it’s great to have someone around his age understand when people are being pushy and making him do things he’s uncomfortable with. However, he’s disappointed because Zoro didn’t even try once to convince him otherwise, and to be honest, it sucks donkey balls. He shifts to sit more comfortably on his seat as he looks out the window, his fingers drumming over his thigh nervously. Should he open the door and just leave? Should he say something before he opens the door or should he just leave the damn car and–?

“But it’ll be great if you came.” Zoro says out of the blue.

Sanji looks at the other’s side, he finds him already looking at him, eyes piercing and novel, something untouchable about them that Sanji just can’t put his hand on (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun).

“Sanji?” He asks, gently.

“Y-yeah.” Said male mumbles and squirms more on his seat, “I can do that.”

“Great, we’re having beef tonight!” Keimi wows from the backseat and takes out her phone. “’Going to tell the others.”

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea.” Sanji mumbles, face twisting with unease.

“They don’t hate you.” Zoro corrects as he pushes the start button and the car roars to life, “They’re just not used to you.” He drives off now.

Sanji then can’t help but wonder if Zoro was able to hear them because they were that loud, or if there’s something Sanji gave away during his rant and he hopes he didn’t. “I can’t really read the difference."

He looks through the window now and watches as the scenery changes into endless silhouettes of thickets and deciduous trees when the car slowly goes into the woods.

“I don’t speak obfuscations.” Zoro chuckles, “just think about it like–” he cuts himself off and looks at the rear mirror, and that’s when Keimi prompts up, alerted, “What were you going to say?” She demands.

Sanji looks towards them. OK, this is interesting. “More like what?”

“Like taming pets” Zoro offers, a trace of a playful smirk threatening to make its way to his lips, so he looks out the window to force it in.

“That’s rude!” Keimi pouts noisily, “We’re not pets.”

Sanji laughs contently, “I can definitely do that.” He says, “I mean did you see how they curl up around the sofa? It’s almost like they’re some cute little pups in some desperate need of warm bonding.”

The atmosphere suddenly goes silent and Sanji internally kicks himself in the ass for being awkward. He can’t help it OK, it’s been forever since he interacted with people outside his line of work. Keimi is being a hero today as she tells Zoro about Mia and he, by any dictionary of any language in the world, is not looking pleased about the disclosure.

“…Sanji chased him away and offered to walk me home.”

“I didn’t like… chase him away. It’s more like we kind of fled the coop.” Sanji restates, and neither is interested.

“Did he do anything?” Zoro furrows and spins the steering wheel to the left.

“No, he just asked me about you.” She shakes her head in reassurance. “Also, asked me about the pa– I mean the guys.”

Zoro nods firmly, eyes on the road.

“But he knows where Sanji works now.” She sighs, jadedly. “I just went there to thank him, didn’t mean to start anything.”

That’s his name right there! “Hey, now, easy.” He faces her, “you didn’t start anything and he’s not going to do anything, I don’t even know the guy.” He tells her, “I’m glad you came to see me today, so don’t worry about whatever that dude has tried to plant into your head, OK?” He is just about to a get a nod of confirmation when, suddenly, the tiers bump onto some rocks and Sanji’s head lashes right onto Zoro’s shoulder. The pungent cologne hits his nostrils like the burn of whiskey down his gullet, firm muscles tense against the touch of his forehead and the heat permeating is just so dizzying in the confined space.

“Bad road.” Zoro comments sardonically, and the other male flourishes and shifts quickly back to his seat.

“Or you’re just a lousy driver?” Sanji teases on a small smirk, because only a bad carpenter would blame his tools.

“You do not want to test my driving, trust me.” Zoro warns, bemused.

Sanji snakes his tongue out just tiny bit, and flicks it under his upper teeth, “Depends,” he says, now straightening in his seat, “You want to prove something?”

“To you?” Zoro goads.

“You tell me.” Sanji counters.

“I’m tempted,” Zoro admits, “but since I’m the one behind the wheel with kids in the back seat” –Keimi glares at him for that– “safety comes first.”

“Oh, you’re such a considerate driver.” Sanji coos, playfully. “Is that your G code for every challenge you turn down?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Zoro says in mock concern, “that was a challenge?”

Sanji rolls his eyes on a lopsided smirk, now facing the windshield. Zoro mirrors his action.

 

Just moments later, the car comes to a smooth stop. Keimi opens the door and hops out. “’Going to spread the news!” She says and ducks to the window at the passenger’s seat. “Thanks for the ride, Mr. Ronoa!” She jogs towards the front door with her skirt bouncing from the corners. So lively, isn’t she?

Sanji is glued to the seat, vacillating between whether to go in or not. Just as he opens the door a little, a hand, large yet gentle, lands on his shoulder so he pauses and turns around, the door left ajar.

“It’s fine.” Sanji says and he doesn’t know if it’s to assure the other or himself. The hand encloses on his shoulder and Sanji nods, “I’m confident about it. It’s going to be fine.” He smiles warmly.

 _Well it does gratify him to some extent_ …..

Zoro’s eyes are directly on his, and Sanji doesn’t know how to deal with the intensity of this man’s stare. His hand that’s on the door’s handle is tightening nervously.

“I know.” Zoro tells him as he pulls his hand away.

 Sanji takes that as his cue to vacate the vehicle and wait outside for the owner while examining the house a second time. The owner locks the doors of the car and walks up ahead. The other follows just a few steps behind, his heart pounding beneath his ribs as they near the stairs of the porch. Zoro opens the door and walks in, and Sanji is, of course, expected to follow suit, but he lingers outside, mustering his courage to finally walk in and greet everyone. “Sorry for intruding!”

The three guys are sprawled on the floor, and the two girls are sitting on the couch, all eyes on the TV screen. Keimi is the only one who grins up at him and quickly turns to watch the TV. Sanji is glad that the TV is more interesting than he is at the moment. It makes things a lot less awkward, he thinks.

Zoro is standing at the stairs when Sanji whips his head to look at him and lifts his shoulder as if to ask how did I do? Zoro purses the edges of his mouth, impressed, but more as in it could have been worse kind of gesture, and then he bounds up the stairs.

Sanji loiters there just for a beat before making his way to the kitchen. He takes his short-sleeved cardigan off and flings it onto the counter. He guess this makes him the new maid, he tells himself, and darn he knows he should be minding his own but he just doesn’t get them, are they all students? Are they, like, cousins or something? –He’s surprised to find sesame oil there, this family didn’t look like the type to gather up in the kitchen and help out with dinner perpetrations. They’d _probably_ set the house on fire if they did. He’s almost done but he could really use some garlic, where do they keep them? They’re not in the fridge, that’s wise. “I don’t think they even know what garlic bulbs are.” He whispers to himself, eyes roaming around.

“’In the mesh over there." Frank says as he ambles along the kitchen counter, and Sanji’s shoulders jolt, a little startled. He’s more worried about whether he’s been heard or not. Sanji looks where Frank pointed at and, oh, there you are you little garlic bulbs! Of course they’re beside the window, these guys aren’t completely ignorant. He goes to grab some and stops dead in his tracks. He must be hallucinating because he’s definitely not seeing yellow eyes glowing at him behind the tree lines outside the window.

“What’s wrong?” Frank asks before opening the door of the fridge.

“Err...” Sanji turns his head around, “what?”

“You smell –I mean you look panicked.” He says as he grabs a soda.

Sanji looks out the window again and finds no eyes glowing, “No, just thought I saw something.” He shakes his head and quickly snatches the soda from Frank’s hand. The younger grumbles but Sanji tells him no soda and no snacks before dinner.

Luffy is sitting with his back to the sofa, legs straightened and one over the other. Usopp is practically sitting down like a new born Kangaroo with his knees touching his chest and arms wrapping them protectively. Frank is sitting almost like Luffy except he isn’t leaning his back on anything, just taunting his arms on the floor to support his weight. The two girls are sitting down on the couch like a couple of empresses owning the world. Sanji puts down the last of the dishes down on the table and rests down as well. The others surround the table but they don’t touch anything, and when Sanji gives them a pointed look which seemed to say I think it’s time someone explains, Nami sighs and says, “aren’t we supposed to wait for Mr. Ronoa?”

Sanji quickly is reminded of the night before when he instructed them about how people eat only after the master of the house does, and he is thrilled. He feels a little like a parent to have his word followed, actually like an owner taming fluffy pups. It’s hilarious. “Is he taking a shower?”

“No, he’s on the phone with his fiancée.” Luffy offers, scenting the food on the table, eagerly.

“Fiancée?” Sanji echoes, “News to me.” He comments, distractedly.

The guy is handsome, has a nice house (again read: villa) and a pretty cool car. His family must be loaded so of course he has a fiancée, and she must be pretty damn gorgeous, too.

It’s not like Sanji owes the man anything, and they haven’t known each for that long. Actually, Sanji can count the times they’ve talked on the fingers of one hand, so he can’t explain this numbness slowly taking over his mind.

Someone walks down the stairs, and he doesn’t have to look up to know that it’s Zoro.

“Where are you going?” Nami cranes her head to see him.

This gets to Sanji and he also turns around, finding Zoro all dressed up again and ready to take off somewhere, which, judging by the way he’s dressed, must be important.

“I have things to do. You can go ahead and eat without me.” He tells them, and then his eyes travel to Sanji’s direction. The latter fumbles with his chopsticks over his crossed legs and doesn’t have the heart to look elsewhere, so he nods. The other returns the nod and walks out of the front door.

“What the,” Usopp frets, “You!” He addresses Sanji, but said male is too lost in his own thoughts to really care. Usopp, then, kicks the leg of the table and makes everyone flinch. “Do you know anything?”

“Like what?” He asks as he takes a bowl of rice and starts eating, so the others follow suit –except for Usopp, obviously.

“I don’t know,” he sighs, annoyed. “Where he’s going for example?”

Sanji shakes his head and dumps more rice in his mouth, “no.”

“Don’t joke with me or else why was he looking at you?”

Sanji knows what Usopp means, he really understands where he’s coming from, but he can’t give him the answer he wants. Maybe he can, but it’s nothing mysterious to begin with. “It’s something about pets.” He offers, and Keimi chokes on her food when she tries to laugh, so Sanji laughs along. “Eat your food, Usopp.”

 

“Are we allowed to ask?” Nami starts when they were done cleaning the table and chucking dishes into the dish-washer. Now they’re watching some classical rerun, and all the guys are on the floor, just lazing around. “Or do you still mind?”

Sanji is sitting far away, cross-legged. He looks at her and at the others who are watching him keenly. “I don’t mind, except if it’s very personal that is.”

“Then forget about it.” She shakes her head.

“Can I ask you something now?” He requests. And the reaction he receives for his trouble dampens his spirits. “It’s nothing personal, but why the hell do the guys sit on the floor and you two always take the couch?”

Goggle eyes look around, and then facial countenances lighten up and soon everyone is chuckling.

“Man, if you sit there you’re going to get ripped into pieces.” Luffy answers.

“Nami doesn’t like people sitting on the couch. No one can sit there except for those two, not even her boyfriend Luffy.” Frank nods at the two said girls.

 

_So those two are dating, which eliminates the option of cousins…_

 

 “But this house is pretty vast,” according to anyone’s standards, really. “Why don’t you use some of the spare rooms, or buy more couches?” Sanji suggests on a nonchalant shrug.

“I don’t know, it kind of started off that way and now we don’t mind sitting on the floor anymore.” Frank explains more, with a vague smile.

“But she let me sit there last night.”

“You were a new guest.”

“I see,” he grins to himself, “so old guests have to make do with the floor.”

Keimi and Nami smirk wickedly at him, these two little devils!

“What about Zoro?” He asks, offhandedly.

“He doesn’t really stay around too much.” Frank offers on a childish shrug. “He never needed to use the couch anyway.”

Sanji shakes his head sadly. Acting like a damn rebellious recluse, isn’t he?

 

********

 

It’s a little past ten when everyone decides to call it night and head back to their own respectful rooms. Sanji is not sleepy, a little tired, but no sleepy or drowsy feelings whatsoever. He opens the front door and sits down at the stairs, watching the sky getting swallowed completely in darkness. A starless sky is never a good sign, but that’s just another superstition too, and he isn’t here to give scientific reasons or to justify anything. He’s here to let out that sigh of relief because one, his dinner went by just fine, a little awkward but he can live with that. And two, they didn’t ask anything about his personal life or anything about his past, which is highly appreciated right now. He doesn’t want to open any doors of his memories and risk having a shock that’d probably take him forever to heal from. And Zoro has a fiancée? He nods to himself. Hah, you learn a new thing every day.

Suddenly, something presses on his thoughts and discombobulates him, making him feel like his entire body is being divested, and his space was being invaded. He’d wanted to turn around and see for himself if someone was standing behind him, but now he is far more concerned with the yellow eyes glowing at him again from the same distance, their malevolence thickening. Sanji’s heartbeats pick up pace. There is something hovering behind his neck, he can feel it brushing over the skin, and it’s terrifying.

The sky is darkening more, is that even possible? Maybe whatever it is, it’s blackening his vision. Long locks of hair… It’s someone’s hair who’s standing right behind him. The pair of yellow eyes glow more at him from the distance but its owner is only watching, beholding his predicament as he is being held helpless.

Sanji’s body is starting to get numb. It doesn’t compare to the numbness from earlier, but he still doesn’t like it, not one bit. This new presence behind him is sickening him, and suffocating him. Finally, by some miraculous force, he pulls himself up and decides to scoot without waking up the kids sleeping soundly on their beds, but his body can’t move, it’s as if tons of weights have been placed on his ankles. He wants to ask whoever that is to be gone, but the comprehension downs on him about what being helpless really feels like when his voice fails to utter any words.

Strong headlights gleam, and the screeching of wheels echo all of a sudden, a noise that Sanji has never been happier to hear. All the off-putting feelings are leaving him and every muscle in his body relaxes. Zoro parks the car aside and gets off, a hand turning the keys to lock the doors, and the other scrolling down his phone screen. Sanji inspects the air around him and no one seems to be lurking in his vicinity, or behind him, and no one is standing behind the tree lines either. He’s safe, for now. Zoro stands up at the stairs and spins his head around, looking a little puzzled, and then he walks into the house and closes the door behind him.

This whole imposing deal was stupid, Sanji doesn’t belong here and he’s an idiot for having any little hopes, for mistaking their kindness with any wishful thinking on his side. He should just get his ass up and walk back to his house. He manages to walk farther by a couple of feet when someone talks, “you don’t really have to go.”

Sanji reels around to see Zoro holding a bottle of red wine and two glasses. He juts them up suggestively as he sits down. Sanji smirks to himself when the other is not watching… if happiness had a smell, he’d be reeking by now.

He sits down on the lower step so that his left shoulder is touching Zoro’s right leg. What follows is a completely comfortable silence. A silence which resembles the calm of nature at night. Though nature at night is actually more dangerous, wherein their silence is reassuring and safe.

“Come on, let’s get inside.” Zoro suggests after a while, and doesn’t wait for the other to turn it down. Sanji on the other hand is not going to linger outside because it’s creepy, and there are creepy things outside, too. He lifts himself up and takes the almost empty bottle and the two wine glasses with him.

“All the rooms here are taken. You’ll have to do with the couch again.” Zoro says before he steps up the stairs, and Sanji shakes his head, “the couch is fine, besides, I’ll get to tease Nami about it later.” He chuckles faintly, not to be noisy when everyone is asleep.

Zoro doesn’t return the smile and only nods, “good night then.” He says curtly and walks up the stairs.

Sanji takes what he has in hands to the kitchen, and then comes back to flop on the couch. There’s a slight urge in him to prop his head up and look out the window. He fights it a little at first, but then the clock tickles with a dreary echo as if urging him more in the deafening silence. He can’t take it and the curiosity is taking the best of him, so he lifts his head and slowly glances up at the window. His eyes catch sight of a darkened silhouette of a tall face and long hair on the white blinds, and just beyond, there’s a woman looking at him, but she’s… beautiful, Sanji admits as he tries to calm his heart down. She’s really beautiful: long eyelashes which he can see from this far, and pink, small lips that are slowly turning up into a wicked smirk. She’s smirking at him before slowly lifting a hand, slim and long fingers, and almost boney, slowly elongating sharp nails. They palm out just enough to wave lazily at him. He curses under his breath and buries his face under the pillow. Tomorrow, he’s so going to see someone about these hallucinations.

 

********

 

“He’s got a pretty mole under his right eye!” This is Keimi being a morning person.

“It’s sexy.” Nami chimes in, but a yawn soon muffles her words.

“Wake up, you lazy ass!” Usopp, his dear Usopp is ready to take down a bull so early in the morning if he had to.

Sanji has no choice but to wake up and stretch, and that’s when he notices the blanket on him. He was out so soon, he didn’t remember someone flinging this over him, but it must have been Zoro, because he does have a blurry memory of him doing so. “What time is it?” He mumbles sleepily.

“It’s almost nine.” Frank replies, oh you’re also up, makes you wonder what they’re up to.

“Aren’t you supposed to be making us breakfast by now?” Luffy flails a hand towards the kitchen.

“No?” Sanji stretches more under the blanket, “not your maid,” he wiggles to the other side to continue his sleep. “Lemme sleep some more.”

“What are you dreaming about anyway?” Nami sighs as she hoists him up, “some nasty dream where you’re getting off on some voluptuous lady?”

Sanji’s heart races as he remembers the cold smirk which unjustly belonged to that uncanny woman, and he looks around, he clambers up now with flapping arms clutching at the armrest and the backrest. He ignores the confused glares he’s receiving and sighs with relief only when he finds no one watching him from the windows to assuage his fears. It’s still too early for jump scares, woman. “I need to wash my face first.”

"Bathroom is upstairs first door on your left." Luffy points at the ceiling with a hand holding a large ketchup bottle and then he flops down on the ground. Sanji doesn’t even want to know what Luffy is planning to do with that bottle so he just nods. “There’s also an extra toothbrush, use it.” Luffy is being quite nice this morning, maybe Sanji will reward him with a nice breakfast too, but “no breakfast for those who eat anything before.” He announces and ignores the grumblings being thrown at his back.

Coltish legs hop up the stairs, and, darn, there’s a labyrinth of doors he doesn't know if it's a mirror illusion. "The first door," he reminds himself, and just as he is about to open a large, wooden door, someone else does it from the inside. Sanji’s jaw drops with alarm when Zoro walks out of the bathroom half naked, a white towel wrapped around his waist, and his hair dripping wet.

"S-sorry, I didn't." Sanji wets his dry lips, and Zoro only stares at him, a brow slowly going up. "I didn't think someone would be here." Sanji rubs nape and shoves the other into his pocket, and Zoro only lets his brows meet his hairline. Sanji’s heart is about to burst, spare him the glares already! "I wanted” He started, “I wanted to take a shower, too. It's kind of gross when your sweat dries on you."

"Towels are at the bottom drawer." Zoro says about that and shoots past him.

Sanji doesn't mean it when he looks at the other's tight ass, and he doesn't mean it when he licks and bites down his bottom lip... and he doesn't mean it when he leans back inside the bathtub and lets his fingers wander across his chest, over his nipples and down and above his waist. He hasn't been keeping free time to love himself lately. He's been neglecting the little pressure building up inside and now it all comes back clashing at once. He lets the water flush hard so that the moans he utters are lost with the echo of the splashing around him. His hands sloppily, yet tenderly massage the soft flesh of his cock. It's wonderful, it's intense and he's on the verge. He's holding the moans in until his restraints finally break loose and this "nnngh!" little erotically sweet and somehow slut-y moan escapes like honey from his lips.

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

A floral, musky and perfume-y smell surges inside the shower now that he is done. As he delves into the drawers for clothes to replace the towel around his waist, a knock puts his motions on hold.

"Why’ you using this bathroom, I specifically told you the first door on the left."

"It was my left." Sanji retorted, and, soon, he hears the male on the other side of the door sigh.

 "Just,” he gives up, “I brought you some clothes, open up."

He does, and finds Luffy willing his eyes to look elsewhere but Sanji’s, a blush flourishing his cheeks. He hands him a grey T-shirt and dark blue sweatpants, and –ahem, a pair of tight boxers. “Wear them until your clothes dry, or you can use some of ours if you want.”

“It’s fine. Luffy.” He takes the offered clothes, “I can wait until my clothes dry.”

 

Sanji walks down the stairs, clothed, and goes straight to the kitchen. He makes breakfast and sets the table with the help of Nami and Keimi. The excessiveness of teenagers' testosterone makes him wonder loudly where Zoro is, but Frank shakes his head, “he’s really not much of a morning person, let him be, he’ll come down when he’s all up.”

Sanji’s small lips part into a sheepish smile, listening to this guy makes it sound like he’s trying to grow out of the adolescence phase soon. He nods at them anyway to start eating. Zoro, just as predicted, doesn’t come down, at all. It’s a little past ten when Sanji changes and tells them he has to leave for his job.

 

“Sanji, wait up!” Keimi opens the door and scuttles towards him when he’s at the porch.

His eyes squint confusingly and then he takes his hands out of his pockets, “what is it?”

“Remember the guy from last night?” She reminded, and added “If you see him call us, okay?”

“I’m” –he eyes the trees and then her– “you really don’t have to worry about that.” He shines with an amiable smile and ruffles her caramel brown hair, “see you around then.”

She’s about to say something to that but he turns around quickly and skids away. He’s sincerely grateful for her worrying for his sake, but he can’t afford to look like a puny good-for-nothing in front of a teenager, and he doesn’t even know the guy, if they’re in bad terms or had a falling-out then what’s that got to do with him? He’s just a hired clerk who so happens to know how to cook, and who’s obviously seeing hallucinations again because the frigging creepy woman in the white dress is standing between the trees. If he has to weigh her malevolent vibe, he can basically say she isn’t there to chat, and the glare is something to go by. He hastens his gait a little, feet scuffing against the dry leaves. That’s it. That is it. He is going to see a doctor now. And why are women always the ones to play little scary ghosts? That’s just not fair.

He makes it a little farther when a honk suddenly blares off, and he spins around, ignoring the little heart attack he’s almost just had. The light bulbs of the familiar Mercedes flash red when Zoro pulled over. Sanji doesn’t even get second thoughts about getting in. He opens the door of the passenger’s seat and greets a visibly infuriated Zoro.

“Not a morning person, guessed as much.”

Zoro drives off. He looks at Sanji only when the road is clear and straight, “good morning to you, too.”

Sanji rolls his eyes, bemused, “okay, you can’t hold that against me.” He smirks because he can’t help it, “besides, it’s almost eleven.”

“Almost being the operative word.” Zoro lifts his jaw up towards the windshield’s direction, good-humoredly.

“Jeez, alright.” Sanji concedes, can’t fault him for trying though. “Good morning.” He glances up stealthily at the other and he’d swear he saw him biting down his bottom lip to suppress a smirk of his own.

“See?” Zoro teases more, “That wasn’t hard, was it now?”

“Going to work this late?” Sanji asks after a pause, relaxing more in his seat.

“’Something like that.” The other offers.

“’Had no idea jobs were just something like that.” Sanji shakes his head on an endearing smile, “and you skipped a meal.”

“I'll survive.”

“Keimi is worried, you should talk to her.” Sanji looks out the window now.

“I know.” The other says curtly, “I’ll take care of it.”

Sanji’s brow goes up, accusingly.

The other glared when he picked up on it, “what?”

Sanji looks elsewhere now, “nothing, just thought you looked serious for second there.”

“That’s because I am.” He tells him, “I’ve been busy a lot lately but I’ll deal with this later.”

“Mm.” He nodded, “that’s assuring.”

Zoro turns the wheels and then looks at Sanji, “need me to drop you off somewhere?”

Yes, he wants to say, but refrains, “It’s fine, just stop here.”

Zoro goes ‘don’t push people’ mood on full operation. He doesn’t bother Sanji with any questions when he stops the car. The other wets his lips and turns to thank him, but Zoro has something to offer, “Look, if something happens call me. I know Keimi is going to come back to your shop and cause troubles, she does that a lot.” He sighs, “Just call me if something’s up.”

“She doesn’t do that.” Sanji shakes his head, “and she’s going to be fine with me if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Give me your number.” The other interjected.

But Sanji has no desire whatsoever to do as the other says. For some novel reason, he finds it overwhelming making Zoro upset on his expense –shift his attention on Sanji, it but raises fire in him and that’s wrong, so wrong he is aware, but can’t bring himself to stop at this rate. “I don’t think so–” he suddenly holds his breath when Zoro uses his hands to search him up, and Sanji feels them on his chest, probing his way down to his pockets. “What' you doing, seriously, personal space? You’re unfamiliar with a lot of terms it seems.”

Zoro takes the phone out of Sanji’s left pocket with a furrow.

“Dude. That was rude.” He complains, “You can’t just grope me like that.”

Zoro shoves the phone back into his chest, “my number is saved, call me if anything happens, you get that?” Zoro gives him the silent brow arch, and Sanji finds himself nodding slowly against his will. “Good, now get out. I have a meeting to attend to.” He orders, and looks elsewhere.

Sanji mumbles something about snarky, chest-groping assholes and opens the door, “Have a nice day, impudent bastard.” He slams the door behind him with force. He is thankful for the ride, believe him he is, but he isn’t ready to get reminded of that with a haughty attitude.

Zoro delays the take-off a few moments for some reason before driving off totally.

The first thing Sanji does after Zoro’s car completely vanishes from his sight is hail a taxi to drive him to the town’s local hospital. He’s not sure why he couldn’t just ask Zoro, maybe it has something to do with being uncomfortable with people finding out that he’s having scary hallucinations. Alright, for some reason his dreams didn’t reappear for a couple of nights in a row, which, hands down, he will celebrate, but the dull pain in his head is not something he could be imagining. He knows it will evolve to a blistering migraine so better safe than sorry. Because he knows the doctors there thanks to his unfinished record of bustling in and out, he’s allowed to have an appointment the same day. When he tells his doctor about his –surprise! Hallucinations, he gets another CT scan. An hour later, he’s advised to see a therapist, and with a honed expression, the doctor reasons “this is not the first case I've seen.” He said, “Some of my patients used to spot strange sightings around the town, and of course after the scans, nothing was proven.” He puts down the pen he’s been fumbling with for a while and intertwines his fingers together on the desk, “we also recommended them to magnificent psychologists who were able to help them out, and their problem stopped.”

“Then what about the pain in my head? Is that also an illusion?” Sanji asks on an annoyed sigh.

“In most cases of depression, physical pain is highly active.”

“OK, so, let me get this straight, according to your logic now I’m not only crazy and seeing things around, I’m crazy and seeing weird things around and depressed.” He shakes his head, leaving himself unencumbered for the current contention.

“Sanji,” the doctor softens his voice, “most of the symptoms you are showing are related to depression. We can associate it to something entirely different but I’m not sure how it can help.”

“It can because I’m not a depressed person, depressed people are suicidal, and I still want to live, thank you, very much.”

“Just give this doctor a chance,” he relents after a suppressed groan, “see if they can help.”

“What if they can’t?”

“We’ll do more tests then.”

Sanji rolls his eyes, because even if he turns the offer down, it still won’t fix his problems. “I guess I’ll go after all.”

The doctor smiles, “great, I’ll give them a call beforehand.” He waves when Sanji bows and leaves.

Maybe he _is_ depressed.

Lack of time and spirit finds him at a restaurant. He takes the table next to the window and orders a hamburger and a can of Cola. He’s going through the stacked Mountain Climbing brochures when someone sits at the seat across his. “Col, what’ you doing here?” eyes quickly fleck to his clothes, “why’ you dressed like that? You work here?”

“Yeah, I’m helping dad.” Coby points at the back of the counter with his thump, and Sanji grins because the dad looks exactly like his son; the glasses and the hair cut, even their furled lips and shy smiles are the same. And because there are a lot of items lined on the counter too. Those were definitely from the shop.

“That’s wonderful.” He comments, “Just don’t slack off and forget about your homework.”

“Done that last week.” Coby looks proud, “wanted to spend more time with dad so I finished all the homework last week.”

Sanji is impressed and silent for a second.

“By the way,” Coby furrowed, “I saw you leaving the hospital, is everything OK?”

The other shakes his head and gives him a reassuring smile. “I went for a regular checkup, nothing serious.”

The other nods, albeit tentatively, and tells him his burger is ready as he brings it to him along with a Cola. When he’s done, Sanji pays the bill and insists to when the dad tells him it’s on the house. Then, he leaves to open the shop, but he’s surprised to find the sign already out, “owner?” he calls out as soon as he enters in, “how long have you been here?”

“A few minutes.” The owner answers behind a large, sculptured statue of an old warrior, “had a carriage bring this here, pretty impressive, isn’t it?” He finally shows up all covered in dust, admiring his new treasure.

“You didn’t steal it from someone, did you?” Sanji jokes as he eyes the statue.

The owner lets out a loud laugh and the frames of his shoulders jolt with it, “don’t tell anyone!”

They laugh jointly.

 

It’s around two in the evening now. Sanji is playing some online game and his phone vibrates, and it’s his doctor telling him he has a rendezvous tomorrow at five in the evening. He’s not happy about it, but he’s thankful nonetheless. It’s half past three when his tattoo itches and he scratches it, but it continues to itch, and when he checks it, he is surprised to see that tattoo is no longer just a plain deformed circle, it’s a clearer shape but he has no idea what it resembles. So he resumes the online game again because he’s winning. It’s four now when he hears some noises coming from the far side of the shop, and he ignores it because it’s all in his head, or so what he tries to convince himself with. It’s almost five and he decides to just close down since there aren’t many clients coming today anyway. He gives the lock a shove to see if they open but they don’t, he’s relieved. But he’s not anymore when he turns around and sees the yellow Porsche parked behind. The window of the passenger’s seat slides down very slowly, and the same face from last night is greeting him with a wide smile.

He gushes, “Evening, sir.” and it’s weird, because he doesn’t look like someone who is in bad terms with anyone. If anything, he looks like someone whom birds would chirp on his shoulders and colorful flowers would grow out of his head.

Sanji nods and nears the car in careful, calculated steps after the other offered him a ride. “’Was told not to speak to you.” Sanji says with one eye narrowed, as if to sound and look apologetic. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I was, too, just passing by.” He grins, “Thought I’d drive you on the way.”

“That’s very kind of you, thank you.” Sanji says, now looking around, “be careful on the road, OK?”

The man nods, “you too.” He tells him and drives off almost dramatically with tires screeching on the tar. All the eyes of the passersby fall on them.

Sanji spots Nami going towards the local library across the road, and he wonders if she and her gang are into nights or something, because, wow, do they only move when the sun is about to set!

“Nami.” He calls before she goes in. She grinds into a stop and faces him, looking her usual bored self. “You know this library closes up at six, don’t you?”

She looks at him for a second and switches to look at the library’s entrance, and there’s a sign above which states exactly what Sanji has just said, “I didn’t know.”

“Not much of a bookworm, I assume.” He smiled, “if you want to borrow a book, you can use my card.” He takes out his wallet and tries to find the card when she suddenly walks past him and pushes him by the shoulder on the way. He’s more than surprised, to be a little frank, and he doesn’t feel comfortable leaving things at that so he goes after her, “Hey, are you sure you’re okay? Didn’t you want a book?”

“I didn’t. Stop following me.” She says, haughtily, and Sanji is starting to think that maybe it’s hereditary because it’s not a coincidence that all the people at the Ronoa household are sort of condescending dicks, except for Keimi, she must be an angel amongst little devils with red horns and pointy tails.

“Not until you stop walking away from me.” He challenges. She lets out a loud sigh, and stops. “Well, now mind explaining what’s going on? You are looking more irritated than usual.” And he hopes she’s not PMS-ing because that could be really awkward. Her eyes widen a little more and she’s looking at him quizzically. He smiles now because he’s figured it out, banzai for him, “thought I didn’t notice?” And then he’s sure she’s trying not to look impressed. It gives him a whole new sense of feeling, a sense of wanting to comfort someone, “you in for a cup of coffee?” He offers and doesn’t even wait for her answer. He holds her by the wrist and rotates her towards the nearest coffee shop, and he sits her down opposite his seat when they’re inside. He orders black coffee for himself and she takes hot chocolate. “So, what book did you want?”

“I just wanted to check something, didn’t want any book.” She sighs, goggle-eyed, now averting his.

“Is it something that I can help you with?”

She shakes her head. “It’s fine. I can deal with it.” She wraps her fingers around the cup as soon as the waiter puts it down.

“I’m not some know-it-all, but there’s something I want to say about you.” He starts, and repositions himself for it, “so don’t get me wrong.” She furrows at him and nods, and Sanji thinks this is the first she made direct eye contact with him. “You seem like a person who pretends they don’t care, but you’re actually carrying a lot more weight than others think you can handle.”

She’s silent for a second, and, then, she looks down at the table and hides her face behind her hands, “I just want to be useful. Everyone thinks I’m smart and I’m being treated differently because of it. But school and study is not my number one interest, there are other things that I want to do but they keep pestering me, I mean my family, because all of them went toJ’s so I cannot fail them. And there’s also this little thing that I can’t tell anyone about and it’s weighing me down a lot. I just want to do what I like but I’m so scared of letting my family down, and mother won’t stop nagging when I skip school and it’s tiring, I swear…” there’s a sob right there but it’s almost inaudible.

“Hey,” Sanji rests his hands on hers in a rare show of gentleness. “It’s okay.” He promised, “Calm down.” He tells her, on a whisper. “Here,” he hands her some tissues and smiles when she snorts on them. “You’ve calmed some?”

She nods and refuses to look him in the eyes again, already back to her old self. “I don’t want to drink this anymore,” she sniffs, “I want Avocado juice.”

Sanji chuckles happily and nods. “So be it.” He orders another and looks at her, “anything else?” She shakes her head, and after the juice arrives, she drinks it comfortably now. “Nami, there’s a reason you’re you, a reason why your soul has chosen this body.” He tells her, “What you want to do with your future is for you to decide, because neither your father nor your mother has a say over that. Their job is to secure the best for your own choices, as long as they’re reasonable of course.” He pauses to check if she’s listening, and she is. “And it’s good to complain, keeping things piled up is bad for your health. You are still young and you have the privilege of complaining when there’s something you don’t want, just voice it out.” He looks around with his eyes, unaware of the glitter in them. “School is good because it will provide you with a job in the future, but it’s not a reason to stop you from following your dreams which is one of the essential reasons to why we exist. You only get to live once, so make best of it.”

She gives him a pointed look like she’s understood everything and has decided something in her mind. She gulps what’s left in the glass and stands up. “I’m going back.” She says, looking more determined now.

Sanji nods understandingly at her, “there you have it, now go.” He urges, and watches her bow slightly and trots out of the shop. He sips the last drops of the coffee in his cup, more calmly now, “kids…” he murmurs happily to himself.

**_Are noisy…_ **

He hears a female’s voice continues for him, chilling him to the bone. He swivels around, more alerted now, he finds a waitress telling him it’s time to close up. He looks clock on his phone and it’s almost six. He pays for the orders and leaves. There’s still a little light outside and the sun has not yet sunken behind the horizon. Who does he need to contact for this? Doctors are no use, so psychologists will definitely be of no use too. His head is ringing and his tattoo is itching. He’s tired and scared of raising his gaze only to meet with the woman’s wicked eyes.

That’s when he remembers Zoro’s number and he clicks on it to dial it, but he shakes his head and returns the phone back to his pocket. So what if he called? What would he say? “Oh hey there, just wanted to ask if you happen to know something about people having hallucinations and hearing voices, and seeing nightmares every single night?” Sanji decides he can’t call Zoro, but he can call his doctor and pursue him to prescribe some sleeping pills for him. He tells him he’s hearing voices now when his doctor refused, so the other finally does and tells him he’ll be sending it to the town’s pharmacist. By the time he arrives there, his order is ready and he pays for it and takes it along with the prescription which had some disastrous writing, but he could read a few lines which clearly said, ‘image and voice hallucinations, constant headaches’ and ‘a pill after dinner’ and some other lines which he couldn’t make out.

He opens the door to his apartment. There are no lights at Tsuru’s so he guesses she’s spending the weekend at her daughter’s on the other side of town. He goes straight to his room and flops down, downs the pill and waits. It’s grueling because there are noises outside his door –noises like someone scratching on the panels and he tries to convince himself it’s only in his head. Very soon, he surrenders to a dreamless sleep.

Maybe a psychologist isn’t needed anymore, those pills worked wonders. Except when he goes to the shower in the next morning and tries to look at himself in the mirror, he sees the woman again, and when he scrambles out back to his bedroom, he spots scratching marks on his door.

Nope, definitely going to the psychologist’s today.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Star Guest:
> 
> Boa Hancock as Bea Hancock

 

 

Clients come and go and some big shot is here to snap up the statue. Sanji isn’t making assumptions because, dude, the wheel his chauffeur is manning is no joke. He doesn’t negotiate but only calls the owner to deal with this man. The purchase deal is done and over with and the man pays in cash, and it’s a lot of money. He might buy beef this month. The statue stays there until later that day when a mini trunk stops by and carries the warrior away, goodbye brave warrior.

It’s almost five and Sanji closes up to go see his psychologist. How enthralling.

 

“So if my doctor has already explained the situation, why do you want me to repeat it again?” Sanji is lying down on a Chesterfield that gives him neck cramps as much as he twitches. The psychologist is sitting over an armchair –which looks way more comfortable by the way, with a waxed leg over the other. “And he didn’t say anything about you being a woman.” She’s pretty stunning because, of course she is, now that Sanji wanted to rip into someone for making him do most of the work.

“I assume me being a woman should not be the focus of your worry, Mr. Vins.” She says, and those big eyes of hers half stare with an incessant lure. “And I want you to explain the situation to me again because I’d like to hear it in details from you.”

“Look, Ms. Hancock, the situation is…” with a barely stifled groan, he tells her about his dreams and the things he’s started to see and hear recently, but he tells her nothing about the tattoo, because right now, it seems irrelevant.

He doesn’t know how much time went by when she finally released him from the discomfort of the sofa, and the feeling of nakedness. She scribbles something down and hands him the paper, “your problem isn’t the first I’ve seen. I promise you’re going to be fine after a few more sessions.”

“Your promise isn’t the first I hear either.” He mumbles as he reads off the scribbles: some description of a new medicine with her reasons being ‘unjustified and constant headaches, image and voice hallucinations, hypochondriac tendencies with leveled depression symptoms, hyperventilation episodes, possible sleepwalking…’ and some more other writing Sanji doesn’t have the heart to keep reading so he just shoves it into his pocket, “thanks anyway.”

 

He goes back home after buying the meds she prescribed for him. The entire building is cold, and he doesn’t like it. Maybe he should just go to some music venue with artificial disco lights spinning around, and have fun, bring home some hot babe and have even double fun. It is half past seven and Paradise must be open by now. The idea isn’t very appealing all of a sudden and he lets out a sigh and walks in to his apartment, his eyes land directly on the scratching marks on his bedroom door. He just got to survive this night, too.

 

He’s making something fancy to reward himself for surviving a lot of things actually, but now that he’s done setting the table, he realizes he can’t eat all that food by himself. And there aren’t any beggars in Wano whom he can give half of the food to –thank God for that. He dons his cardigan and carries all the food in bags after stuffing it into plastic boxes. Just outside the entrance, his old neighbor, who lives in the apartment under his, is parking his bicycle, and Sanji seizes the chance to ask him if he could use it. “Of course you can.” He said, “Tomorrow I can use my wife’s, she doesn’t have work anyway.”

A sense of gratefulness fills him because, climbing up hills, he seriously is in no mood for that. He hooks the bags to the handlebars and heads to The House in the Woods. He’s there after a few minutes, glad he made it in one piece since he kept hallucinating all the way there. There are still some lights on, and he’s suddenly having second thoughts whether to walk in or just go back home. He could always store the food in the refrigerator anyway. But he’s here so he might as well greet the people of the house. He knocks and waits, and when no answer arrives at the fourth knock, he pushes the door and it opens for him so he walks in, “hello? Is anybody home?” Only the creaking sounds of the front door replies back as it closes up. No drama queens hogging the couch, no scalawags sprawling on the floor either. The kitchen is empty too, and he doesn’t see it his place to go upstairs and search the rooms.

“What’ you doing here?” Someone asks, and when Sanji reels around, his bags turn with him. He smiles when he sees Zoro. “My man!” He gushes, because he almost made feces in his drawers. “Thought you guys were gone or something.”

“We were training.” He reports with a final tone.

“Training, oh, that’s good, and healthy.” Sanji eyes the other’s sweaty sportswear, and he realizes that Zoro’s just walked in too. “Sorry I came in without consent, but I knocked for, like, four times and got no answer, didn’t want my little trip here to go to waste so I decided to place the food in the fridge”. He flails the bag forward to clear himself from any assumptions the man of the house must be thinking because damn straight it looked like he was snooping about.

Zoro eyes the bags for a second, “sure” he nods and bounces up the stairs.

The house is so silent that he can hear the water splashing in the bathroom upstairs. He naturally guesses that Zoro is showering. He’s taking out the food from the bags when, suddenly, pain comes uninvited and collides with his head, unrelenting with its force. He leans on the counter with shaky hands palmed out, and clutches at it. Damn, he wasn’t ready. It aches more and all he wants to do is lie down, curl up into a ball and sleep eternally. He wobbles up to the couch and rests his head on its arm. The pain is not letting up, but unlike the chesterfield at the therapist’s, this sofa is comfortable. He hears laughter coming from some far off distance and the trees rustle outside with what he has to guess is gentle breeze. Living in the woods is not that bad after all…

 

Someone is talking, but it’s embodied and he can’t make out what they’re saying. He forces his eyes open, but they flutter lazily and yet he’s still not fully awake. He’s tired and in pain and he blames it on his meds. He’s still on the couch, that’s for sure, if the feel of leather beneath him is any testimony to certify that. The sounds he’s been hearing were coming from the TV. His pupils wander around and spot Zoro on the floor, leaning his back on the couch. Sanji can see his nape despite the man being veiled by the TV’s statics like a silhouette, it makes him look funny especially that he has got large shoulders. He looks like the Mothman. Ah, Laura Linney looked so hot in that 2002 piece of a crappy movie. Zoro turns around at the small giggle Sanji managed to let out.

“Finally up?” He asks while sitting up properly, “feeling better?”

Sanji doesn’t give a reply. His mouth is dry – _Sahara_ dry; but he nods lazily anyway.

Zoro fills a cup with water from the bottle on the coffee table, and brings it to him, “drink.”

Sanji tries to hold the cup but there’s almost no strength in his hands and the cup almost drops down but Zoro is faster and he saves the day, congratulation hero of the year. “Sorry,” he says drowsily, “no strength in me.”

Zoro shakes his head slightly and hooks his hand under Sanji’s neck, “I’m not being an impudent bastard today to need an apology from you, and here’s the proof.” He smirks and brings the cup to Sanji’s mouth, the latter drinks it eagerly because he’s so dry his body could crunch up with more delay. “How gentlemanly of you, pretty thoughtful too.”

Zoro looks at his hand that’s still hooked under the other’s neck, and for some reason he furrows, “you’re in pai– I mean does it hurt somewhere?”

“Headaches.” Sanji sighs, wearily. “Pretty annoying too, they used to happen in mornings only.”

“Did you do a checkup?” Zoro asks, and doesn’t unhook his arm from where it’s heating up under the other’s slightly feverish skin.

Sanji is getting drowsier, “done that,” he mutters, “couldn’t find anything though.” The pain is slowly tapering off to a light ache and, God damn, why is he feeling sleepy again when he’s only starting to get better.

“Rest up.”

He hears Zoro say but everything goes dark, and he is fading into a comfortable, painless sleep.

 

He wakes up again, and instinctively looks where Zoro had been sitting before he woke up the previous time, and he’s still sitting there, a book in hand.

“Still not home, aren’t they?”

Zoro doesn’t turn around, but he does reply, “They’re actually here,” he says, “The girls are taking a shower, _separately_ ” he tilts his head and pauses when Sanji chuckles, “Usopp is in his room, changing, and the other two are in the kitchen.”

“They’d better not touch the food I brought.” Sanji tries to sit up, and Zoro turns around to give a little hand, damn the couch is soft and he could sleep on it for decades if he had to. “Speaking of which, never seen you sit here.” Here being the couch.

Zoro shrugs and he is about to turn to his book when Sanji grabs his arms and pulls him closer so that Zoro can sit next to him, except it ends up a little awkward with Zoro holding himself atop him, a hand braced on the arm of the sofa and the other on its backrest. Sanji looks up into the other’s eyes, his own trembling. His plan jinxed up when he saw how he’s locked between Zoro’s arms. Their eyes meet as Zoro slowly looks down at him, faces only inches apart and Sanji’s naturally-sparkly-eyes go ablaze, Zoro’s dark, seductive pupils land on Sanji’s, bewitching in the silence.

Crap.

Holy crap…

“Sorry,” Sanji finally manages through a haggard breath, “actually I wanted you to sit down on it, not…” he trails off to find something that can justify this, but Zoro sighs and shifts to sit down on the sofa, “hope you’re happy that you got your wish.”

“Not mine.” Sanji shakes his head, eyes on the other’s profile, beholding the long, sharp jaw and pointy-tipped nose, “the kids would be happy if you commingle with them sometimes instead of going straight to your room once you’re inside.”

Zoro doesn’t look at him, but props his elbow on the armrest of the sofa and leans his cheek on the knuckles, “it’s annoying when people tell you what to do.” Deep voice fuses into the silent air.

“I’m not.”

“It’s exactly what you’re doing.”

“OK, fine.” Sanji admits, “But I’m not doing it for me so you don’t have to be annoyed.”

“But I am.”

“Dude, just chill.” Sanji sighs.

“Calling me dude isn’t going to make me chill, you know.” Zoro snorts, now looking at Sanji.

 “Noted,” Sanji confirms, “Now we’re talking about the kids, you can’t just dismiss that, you said you’ family, right?”

“That’s unrelated, no matter how you think of it.”

“Wrong.” Sanji points his index at the other and repudiates the horrors of having his index pointed at the owner of the house, “Everything is related. I’m not telling you what to do by the way so will you please ignore that part?”

“You’re practically barking orders even now, is that a hobby of yours?” Zoro seems to relax more in his position.

“I’m sort of in the process of developing the hobby of punching you in the gut if you don’t stop looking at me like that.”

Zoro shifts to sit up properly as he keeps staring at the other, “like what?”

“Like _that_ ,” Sanji flails a hand in the air to direct Zoro’s attention on something other than him. He can feel the beats of his heart deepening against his rib cage, and it’s the sort of feeling that sends butterflies to your stomach. “Like I’ve stolen a few bucks from your precious jar or something.”

“You mean like you’ve been giving orders to the owner of the house?”

Oh, that one, Sanji foresaw it. He breathes through his nose, annoyed; at least he believes he is. “You’re not going to any meetings tonight, are you?” He asks, and adds hurriedly “and if you say I’m giving order I’ll freaking punch you in the balls.”

“I’m not.” The other shakes his head, small lips twisting into an asymmetrical smile, “was it so important you had to ask?”

“Actually, yeah.” Sanji gets up, “because you’re going to help me set the table and you’re going to sit on the couch like how the others want you to, and you’re going to enjoy it.”

Zoro gives some sort of ‘you must be joking’ kind of glare, and Sanji wiggles his eyebrows at him playfully, “and that, mister, is what I call giving orders!”

 

Sanji enters the kitchen followed by a visibly upset Zoro, Luffy and Frank are fumbling with their phones, acumen reporting the nervous strikes oozing in the space, so Sanji arches up an eyebrow, “you guys look uncomfortable.”

And that is an unfair understatement to the statement itself.

Zoro actually laughs, a squeaky, lively laugh, before he quickly opens the door of the fridge to hide his face. Sanji watches as Luffy sits up, “we’re in the living room if you need us.” He turns around and motions to Frank to follow.

“What’s their deal?” He mumbles as he, absentmindedly, opens the bags be brought with him.

“Embarrassed.” Zoro replies, and nears him, “they’re a little embarrassed.”

“Why is that?” Sanji furrows, “I didn’t do anything to upset them, did I?”

“Quite the contrary, it seems.” Zoro shakes his head.

The food needs to be reheated and then it’s all set and ready. Zoro is being quite useless as he sets the table, or attempts to. Keimi and Nami join in and they both sit on the floor. And when Sanji and Zoro return with the rest of the plates, they’re surprised to see the couch empty.

Sanji looks around for a second, still standing with the plates in his hands, “wrong house?”

Nami rolls her eyes and settles to look at Zoro, “please sit down.”

Said male nods and sits down on the sofa. Sanji smirks to himself and puts the dishes down, and crouches to sit on the floor when Nami claps, “you too, on the couch.”

“What!” All the guys exclaim disbelievingly, “you’re letting him use it?” Usopp gasps, and when she nods at him, Frank and Luffy shake their heads, “this calls for a celebration, man!” Luffy says, and Frank adds, “Congratulations, Sanji, it officially means you’re her favorite.”

Sanji smiles warmly, cheeks jutting, and he walks up to sit down next to Zoro, finding him glaring but Sanji shrugs happily.

Zoro sighs, “Bastard.”

Sanji nibbles on his lower lip and whispers “shove it”.

But for some reason, everyone hears it and they are chocking on their first bite of the food.

 

“Dare or truth” Keimi prompts when they’re done with the cleaning. And everyone seems excited about the game, the two sitting one on each side of the couch with their knees touching, are too.

“I’ll go first.” She informs them, and looks at Sanji, mischief in her eyes and he can read it loud and clear, “dare or truth? And if you give up you have to strip a layer.”

“Truth.” He shrugs, relaxingly moving his other leg and hiding his jaw behind his fingers since he’s leaning on them.

“First time you smoked?”

“Sixth grade.” He shrugs again, “barely a whiff, really, but got busted and grounded for two months so I never smoked after that again.” She grins, and he looks at Frank, “dare or truth?” The other chooses the latter, and Sanji looks around to think of one, “first kiss.”

There are whistles teasing Frank as he blushes and scratches his cheek, “actually it was last summer, we’d been dating for a few months, sort of platonic until we kissed, but we broke up soon later.”

“She must have hated the way you kiss.” Nami flips her hair to the back.

“You kiss like a fish trying to breathe, I know ‘cause I saw you two, disturbing I swear.” Usopp shakes his head, a laugh making his shoulders tremble and so everyone laughs too, and when Sanji glances over his shoulder, even Zoro is smiling.

“OK, Sop, dare or truth?” Frank asks firmly, and when the other chooses dare, Frank’s shoulders slump, “damn it, I thought you were going for truth” and Usopp laughs, “you’re just so easy to read, dude. So what’s it going to be?” He asks, and Frank smirks to himself, “take a quick and cold shower then get back and sit on the sofa between them.” Usopp glares at him and takes off his hoodie, “you’re so going to pay for this!” The others laugh and Frank is having a bliss, don’t mess with the silent type.

“Lu, dare or truth?” The other chooses truth because he’s so not going into the shower, “OK, so I know we’re buddies and all, but, man, forgive me I have to get some brownie points here, your man is losing.” He sighs, “Ever had alcohol?” The other pales and shakes his head, “no.”

“He’s lying.” Zoro interjects with his deep voice.

“Are you stupid?” Nami tilts her head, bored as usual, “you know you can’t lie to us, it’s enough you had alcohol when you’re underage. Now take off a layer.”

“Your turn is next” _you bitch_ hung unspoken in the air between them as he took his T-shirt off and dared her by jabbing his foot towards her face. “Smell my toes!” Everyone burst out laughing, even Zoro, but she gently took one of her socks off and gave Luffy the middle finger.

“Dare or truth?” She addresses Sanji, who is surprised no one has asked the guy next to him. Keimi mumbles angrily about how she wanted to pick Sanji, too. “Dare.” He decides, and she rolls her eyes, “been dying to ask you something, I didn’t expect you’d pick dare.” She adds when he presses his lips and smiles benignly at her. She’s trying to plan something evil for payback when Keimi gasps flamboyantly and props up to whisper something in her ear, everyone flinches and Sanji has no idea what is going on, even Zoro next to him is fidgeting. Nami grins for what seemed like the first time, and, frankly speaking, Sanji isn’t happy to see it. “I’m going to make it less harsh for you. Hold his hand for three minutes with your fingers intertwined.”

How is that less harsh?

Usopp falls to the back laughing because the look on Sanji’s face is priceless. Sanji glances up at Zoro, who shrugs at him and relaxes his hand on his thigh, but Sanji is having a lot of doubts about this so he decides to just take a layer. “I can win the next one.” He mumbles and tugs at the hems of his shirt to pull it up, it reaches his chest when Usopp teases him, “that’s not even a challenge, loser.” And Sanji pauses, the shirt is still above the first of his rib lines, revealing his pale skin and fairly muscled chest –or half of it. “It’s just holding hands, it couldn’t be that hard.” Luffy added with his hand waving lazily in the air. Sanji looks around for a moment, and then he lets out a sigh from his nose, defeated. He shakes his head dramatically and lets the shirt roll down on its own. “Fine” he takes Zoro’s hand with force and intertwines their fingers together, “why is this guy not getting any challenges, not fair.”

Nami is counting the time from her phone when she sighs, “He’d practically do it, whatever it is.”

The hand that’s in Sanji’s hand is warm and very still, and, gosh, this is not the time to focus his attention on that. A section of his body is slowly reacting and Sanji wants to hit head against a wall. “Fine then, I’m so choosing you next.”

“Tough, it’s not my fault that we’re holding hands, idiot.” Zoro shakes his head, and flails their hands that are held embarrassingly together for emphasis.

“He has a point.” Frank shrugs, “you picked dare.”

“Shut up,” Sanji berates and switches to look at Zoro, “they’d have picked you instead if you weren’t putting off this don’t-touch-me-don’t-talk-to-me kind of vibe.”

“What the hell is that supposed to–?”

“Two minutes left!” Keimi gushes on as she cranes her head to look at Nami’s phone.

“You can survive this!” Luffy shouts suddenly and shifts to look at the phone too. Frank joins them as well.

Sanji’s hand is sweating, or maybe Zoro’s, he has no idea. “I mean you need to _unbend_ , man, and no I swear that’s not an order.”

“I am unbent.” Zoro grouches. “This is ridiculous.” Is spoken with a sliver of exasperation, and Sanji has the inkling that Zoro abhors this to hell and back, and his throat constricts. He leans his jaw back on his hand and faces away. Zoro is already leaning on his hand and looking the other way, and only their fingers are intertwined together over the sofa fabric.

“Just a few seconds now guys!” Frank reports with his wide and expectant eyes. All of them are eying the countdown going on in Nami’s phone but neither notices how Zoro squeezes his fingers on Sanji’s, who freezes for a second, but soon blushes and squeezes his fingers on the other’s, too.

“And time’s up!” Keimi claps once.

They let go at once and Sanji rubs his hands conspiringly together, “my turn, pick something.” He isn’t disappointed that Zoro chose truth. He’d be stupid if he didn’t see it coming. There are just so many things he wants to ask, but the kids are waiting with anticipation so he might as well give them a little reward for not being wholeheartedly impudent tonight. “Be honest with me, man, how do you feel about this?” He pivots his two hands clockwise in the air, motioning at the sofa and the kids. The other man furrows at him and Sanji rolls his eyes miserably, his eyes might seriously get forever lost under his upper lids someday, but, damn it, sometimes they’re annoyingly stupid. “You know!” Sanji breathes, accusingly.

“Ordinary.” Zoro gives a slight shrug of shoulders, hugging a pillow now. Sanji doesn’t even turn his head around to see how the guys’ postures are slouching disappointingly. “You’re lying.” He deadpans.

“How did you kno–” Luffy shakes his head and corrects himself “I mean how’ you know that?”

“I don’t need to be an expert to know.” Sanji tells him, eyes on Zoro who’s glaring at him as he makes to pry it out of him without a moment’s notice, “your eyes looked elsewhere when you answered. Now how about you play fair?”

Zoro is embarrassed, and he scratches his forehead and brings the pillow higher, you only do that instinctively when you’re trying to protect yourself from giving away your true feelings, and that’s how Zoro is acting right now. “I–” he starts slowly, “am kind of happy.”

Sanji’s lips part into a really wide grin, “That wasn’t hard, was it now?” He teases the other and he is enjoying it.

The rest of the company gets overwhelmed over the head and all of them bounce on Zoro while he pushes them off and threatens to rip them apart. Sanji is laughing when he leaves the couch and heads to find his phone as it’s started ringing. It’s Tsuru’s number glowing on the screen. He turns around and sees the gang bouncing back from the couch when Zoro shoves them off, so he retreats to the front door and walks outside, meeting the night breeze. “Tsuru, it’s nice of you to call.”

“Oh, Sanji.” She coos, “You know I’m staying with my daughter now, I’d have made you some cookies otherwise.”

“You don’t need to worry yourself about anything, just spend time with your daughter, I’m sure she’s missed you gobs.” He says, “You can cook her cookies too, they were so delicious by the way.”

“But she makes me sad. I keep telling her to call Law and tell him to come back for meals, and she says no.”

Sanji’s heart sinks down in his guts, and he almost crumbles to his knees, “maybe she’s right, Tsuru.”

“How could you, Sanji!” She exclaims, “I thought you were his best friend.”

“I’m sorry,” he soothes hurriedly, “I can call him myself if it makes you happy.” He rubs his forehead now.

“I’m sure he’s sleeping by now, call him tomorrow, okay?” She chuckles gently now, “you’re a good boy Sanji, our Law is so lucky to have a friend like you. I’ll make sure to remind him when he comes back.”

“Good night.”

As soon as the call ends, his whole body melts down onto the stairs. This is worse than all of his nightmares, this is worse than all of the scary illusions his head offers when it’s playing games on him. He grabs two fistfuls of his hair and ponders on the ground for a long time.

“Thought you said the name Law didn’t mean anything.” Zoro steps out of the door and sits beside him so that his right arm and leg are touching Sanji’s left ones.

Sanji doesn’t even look around, “Eavesdropping now?” He snorts, “Doesn’t look your style.”

“Overhearing.” He corrects, “You okay?”

Sanji lifts his head and looks heavenward now, man he could really get used to this: the sky is dazzling with an endless veil of stars, and there is the half-moon, shining down at him, unfazed. “Yes, you?”

“Aside from embarrassing me in front of everyone,” He tilts his head and looks at Sanji now, “pretty fine.” He sighs and grabs his car keys from his pocket. “Come on,” he announces and descends the few stairs in his way. Sanji slides his phone into his pocket and follows suit without questions.

 They’re in the car as it slides on gravel, but neither one talks. Sanji is drumming his fingers on his thigh while looking out the window when Zoro suddenly brings the car to a smooth halt, and undoes his seatbelt. “We’re here,” he announces as he opens the door, and naturally, Sanji does the same.

“Thought you’d take us clubbing or something, seeing how both of us are a little down.” Sanji walks up to the cliff with his hand in his pockets.

 


	6. Chapter 6

 

 

 

It’s a little chilly tonight, unlike all days of August, but the view down the hill makes it bearable. The half-moon is shining even without its other half, and it’s hypnotizing to say the least: how it makes you feel nostalgic and a little yearn swirls inside of your stomach. A few gray clouds are joining in to veil the shy stars that appear and disappear every now and then. The town looks so small from up there, and Sanji holds up his two indexes and thump fingers to capture an imaginary photo of the entire picturesque scenery.

“I’m not feeling down, and I didn’t bring us here for that.” Zoro said, nonchalantly spinning the keys on his taut finger, “and clubbing, you say? That’s way to give my family the perfect example of how to work out their little issues.”

Sanji turns his head to the left to have a better look at the other man, “I’m a single grown-up. If clubbing is what I do to ignore or fight my problems away, then that’s no one’s business but mine.” He jokes.

“That’s strange coming from a laid-back like you.”

“Hey, now.” Sanji furrows and trembles at the sudden blow of wind, “I've got my own pile of shit to work through too, alright?”

Zoro raises his brows humorously and looks up at the moon with vague eyes.

There’s silence for a few moments, and Sanji decides to tear it apart, “My family moved in to this town when I was eight. At first, I didn’t have a lot of friends, you know, changed schools and was the new tallest guy in school.” He chuckles to himself at the memory playing in his head with his eyes wandering about nervously, “Trafalgar Law was the only kid who approached me and ever since then, we’d hang out together and play games together. We did all kind of foolish and childish together, we became inseparable.” He crouches down now, “but then my mother got very sick, doctors couldn’t save her and a few months later, she died.” He sighs, “When she was still alive, she treated Law like her own. His grandmother also treated me like I was her own, and she still does actually. So if you’d say, he and I were somehow brothers. The shock of losing mom was very strong on both of us, and we both started drifting apart somehow because I had now more duties to carry –we both did.” He looks around when the ground suddenly darkens, and he sees that the clouds are hiding the moon again. “Father was a good man, too. He worked pretty hard for me but he was soon hospitalized when I was eighteen, and that’s when my contact with Law came to life again. He came to see my father one day and I had to ask because he looked like he was hiding something from me. He wouldn’t tell me, said it was a secret thing and the people he’d been working for would be unhappy if he said anything.” A small rock on the ground becomes an interesting topic of debate as Sanji keeps staring at it, “weeks later and father passed away too. Law came to his funeral and vanished again a few days later.” He decides the small rock is annoying and he grabs it and throws it into the far distance, “Tsuru, the woman whom I’d been talking to when you were eavesdropping.”

“Overhearing.” Zoro corrects hurriedly, eyes still glued to the moon.

“She’s his grandmother. He and his mother were never on good terms so he lived with her instead. His father also had long since died so we somehow become more alike. When Law kept going missing for a few years, she contacted the police but it was too late since she went there when he was already eighteen, and to them, that’s old enough for a guy to decide on his own to go missing.” He shakes his head, “anyway, she wasn’t happy with that so she asked me to give her a hand. I can’t say I did, but I tried. It was breaking me to see her like that. Law didn’t reply to any of our calls and he soon changed his number and we were no longer able to get a hold of him. She’d always call me, whatever time, to ask me to call and ask him home and I’d always tell her the same thing, yes Tsuru, I’m going to call him. It made her happy.” He lets out a sigh that somehow weighed more than it should on his chest. “A few months later, I got a call from the local hospital asking me to come to identify a body, and it was like a blow to my stomach. What I’d feared was finally happening and I kept praying ‘please not him, please not him’ but my prayers were never answered, and Law lied there lifeless with a gash across his chest.” He rubs his face with his two hands now, “I couldn’t call Tsuru. I knew she wouldn’t be able to take it, so I called his mother, and she freaking brought Tsuru along with her. I’d expected it to be disastrous. You know, the wailing and screaming, but Tsuru was really calm about it. I didn’t understand why, I still don’t. A few days after the funeral, she came to my place and told me to call Law. I freaked out.” He points at his chest with both his hands, “It went on like that for a few more months when her daughter finally called and told me her mother was under a long-termed shock, and was probably going to develop Alzheimer soon. It was what her doctor had said.” He stands up now and returns his hands to his pockets because it’s more than chilly now, it’s cold. “Apparently, there was a letter with Law addressed to me when they’d found him dead in the woods. Said a mountain lion had killed him, but dude, there are no freaking lions in Wano’s mountains.”

Zoro doesn’t add anything. He doesn’t comment and doesn’t say any comforting words either. He only keeps his eyes on the sky, and Sanji has never been grateful to have silence as his only reply.

 

It’s a little late when Zoro finally walks back to the car, and Sanji follows suit again, somehow relieved as if a heavy weight has been lifted off of his shoulders. Silence is still in control until they reach the house. Sanji goes first and then an order from Zoro halts him, “wait.”

Sanji is standing by the front door, a hand on the handle, “what is it?”

The other shrugs and hops up the stairs in two large steps, and he approaches Sanji until his face is just a few inches away from the other’s. Sanji thinks he’s going to be kissed, but Zoro only –yet strangely and gently rubs his forehead along the other’s shoulder.

“Trying to comfort me?” Sanji smirks to himself because Zoro is looking like a dog trying to comfort him without words like that.

“Be quiet.” The snarky man orders again, and after a few more minutes, he’s done, “go to sleep, you look wrecked.”

“Oh, really, and whose fault do you think it is?” He crunches up his face, annoyed.

Zoro walks past him and into the house, takes the stairs after flinging a lazy “good night” and Sanji is inwardly boiling downstairs because what the hell was that? He doesn’t know what to do with his heartbeats anymore. They wouldn’t stop slamming against his chest and it’s not distracting, not really. He can still feel the phantom of a touch on his shoulder, warm, and heavy.

He can’t say much about the black-haired woman staring at him from the window.

 

There’s a blanket over him again when he wakes up at the noise of his phone vibrating. It’s his shrink calling in to postpone their meeting until two more days from now, and he doesn’t mind because he has his medicines on him. The clock of his phone is showing 10:13 and he guesses that nobody is home because they aren’t poking his nose or stretching his cheeks. It’s a good sign, too. He goes up the stairs to use the bathroom, but, again, Zoro opens it from the other side, and, thank God, this time he’s wearing actual clothes.

“’Morning.” Sanji mumbles and messes his bed hair more, but the other is only staring at him, and then he leans in, and once more, Sanji thinks he’s going to be kissed, but Zoro leans into his neck and sniffs. “Heck, man, if I smell just say so.” He gasps nervously, and Zoro sighs haughtily, “It won’t kill you if you keep quiet.” He states, and this time, he inhales along the other’s neck and Sanji is gradually relaxing. And, goodness, no if you do any more, Sanji’s going to lose it! Zoro has no plans to stop now though as he lets the tip of his nose touch the Sanji’s neck, hot breaths hitting the skin as Zoro brushes along his neck with a pair of wet lips, and Sanji sighs quietly. “Jesus, Zoro…” his eyes are fluttering shut as though he’s being drugged, the feeling is unbelievable. His hands slowly come up to clutch at the other’s chest, and his head is tilting more to feel those lips gliding up and down his skin.

“Get dressed.” Zoro suddenly demands when he pulls away, “I’ll give you a ride on my way.”

“No need.” Sanji is still blushing, “brought a bike with me last night.”

"That beat-up junk outside?" He wonders, eyebrows going up.

"Hey, you watch your mouth." Sanji threatens, but it's good-humored, "that's someone's treasure, and now it's mine, that's priceless, wouldn't trade it for anything."

Zoro doesn’t say anything else and he just walks back to his own room. Maybe, trying to look like a bad-ass every morning is his reason to live, or maybe giving off hormones after his shower minutes are over is just a habit –a bad one at that. Maybe the time he spends in his bedroom is actually the perfect time for him to do some body fitness muscle show in front of his mirror. Man, Sanji doesn’t know, but how is he supposed to deal with it if Zoro arouses him and just go about his business?

He’s brushing his teeth now, vigorously, swishing and spitting, lost in thoughts. There’s a bulge down his crotch, and it’s making his thoughts even heavier.

 

He’s pedaling down the road with a lot of ease when a white Mercedes drives past him and his eyes are locked on its windows. He’s trying to locate Zoro’s shape behind the wheel but he fails. The car’s rear lights flash red suddenly and it stops, and Sanji stops too, anticipating. A few seconds later and Zoro turns the ignition on again and the car slides on the road very smoothly, until it vanishes from sight. Sanji shrugs slightly and moves again toward the shop.

 

He’s scrolling down some random website page about mythologies when a familiar client comes in, and he props up with a grin, “Shirahoshi! Lovely Hoshi”

“I’m not here to buy anything.” She lets out an irritable breath, but there’s a faint trace of a smile on her lips when she hears the old nickname. She must love it.

“Moody as ever.” He shakes his head with a small smile. “So what gives, and don’t tell me you’re here to see me or anything because that’d look totally awkward coming from–” he zips up his mouth when she gives him a sharp glare.

“Do you see the guy outside?” She whispers, now looking a little nervous.

Sanji looks through the glass and sees Frank poorly hiding himself behind a newspaper. And just for your information, big guy, teenagers don’t read newspapers, by the way, especially not on a vacation. Though there was the news about a new male victim. “What about him?”

“He confessed to me once, but I turned him down, but he’s been following me for a while now.” She admits, looking dissatisfied by the second. “I decided to hide here.”

Sanji smiles vaguely, “are you seeing someone, Hoshi?” She shakes her head, and he shrugs, “then give him a chance.”

“He looks dangerous, even at school he’s always getting in troubles, and always picking fights with everyone.” She’s looking determined, and Sanji glances at the window to find Frank no longer there. He sighs after a long pause, and adds, “There’s a little something you need yet to learn about guys like him.” He gets off of his stool and saunters up to her, “when a guy likes some girl, he likes to show off in front of her, to prove how strong and deserving he is of her.” He smiles more, “it’s instinctual actually, and Frank is very caring once you get to know him, not dangerous whatsoever. It’s not like he gets in troubles for fun, he’s trying to win your attention.”

She’s looking at him with narrowed eyes, as though still in doubt.

He offers her another smile, “give him a chance, and you might become his millstone. His fights will stop and he’ll no longer get in trouble, though I can’t promise the latter.” He mumbles, “But the point is, I know the guy, and he’s a really great guy. He’ll make you happy if you give him a chance.”

She buys something to reward him for being such a sweet talker, and leaves with a smile of her own. Sanji goes back to reading whatever he’s been reading when, suddenly, and like a maniac, he starts laughing merrily.

 

He closes the shop around five thirty. There comes a text from Nami telling him to come over. He hesitates whether to use the bike or not, but its owner meets him on the road when he goes out to take out trash, and tells him to keep it as a gift. Sanji is so excited he doesn’t even go to his own apartment to shower or change first. He rides the new-owned bike straight to Zoro’s house. He leans the biped means of transport askew the side of the stairs and jogs up to open the door. “Sorry for intruding.” No reply comes back. He walks in a little more, finding everyone sprawled over the floor, while the couch is being left completely unused.

“You’re faster than usual.” Usopp comments, offhandedly.

“’Wearing same clothes from last night, too.” Nami adds, and Sanji is about to give these evil little shits an explanation when, suddenly, the door behind him creaks open and Zoro walks in.

 “Mr. Ronoa!” Keimi gushes.

“You’re finally home.” Luffy added.

“Welcome home.” Nami and Usopp say in unison, even Frank bows his head.

“Now why can’t I get a welcome party like that?” Sanji shakes his head dramatically.

“Because you stink, go take a shower.” Nami orders while playing with a lock of her hair.

Sanji blushes slightly as he looks up at Zoro.

“She’s right.” He tells him and goes upstairs without even intending to listen to Sanji’s explanation.

The latter sighs dejectedly and goes to the bathroom. He’s taking off his clothes when a knock holds off his motions, “Yeah?”

“Here are some clothes for you.”

He opens the door just a little to see Zoro handing him a change of clothes while focusing his eyes on his phone. Sanji takes them and shuts the door, and then he’s reminded of the ‘comforting’ Zoro’s done for him a couple of times now. His body gets ignited all of a sudden with a searing heat. He’s not desperate, he can’t be. He’s handsome and could get any girl if he wanted to, so why the hell is he feeling these things towards someone who’s already engaged, and not to mention a man, too? Although the latter shouldn’t worry him as much, he’s always struggled with his identity.

 

He’s inside the tub now, nape on the edge, hands resting over his chest and his legs are not completely straightened. It feels nice. If he could just hold still and continue like this until he’s clean, and calm. But no, his body won’t have it. It’s already on fire and he needs to put it out somehow. Damn, why is he being reminded of the ‘comforting’? It’s not like they kissed, he and Zoro. It was a gesture of comfort, nothing more, and nothing less.

But what if they did, indeed, kiss?

How would Zoro’s lips feel on his…?

He can no longer hold in his moans as he rubs his shaft so hard, the water is making it ticklish and it’s not helping at all. Zoro is engaged, Sanji reminds himself, and he’s been nice to him, how could he repay the man like this…but oh fuck! It feels so good he can’t bring himself to stop. The intensity is building up and he’s almost there, the ticklish feeling is growing and, oh yes! He’s coming. He props on his feet to push his waist skyward, his cock finally spurting cum on to the wall.

“I'm...” he pants “I'm sorry…” he whispers through parted lips, “what am I doing?” rueful all of a sudden, he whimpers. “I’m so sorry.” And he repeats in almost a cry as he curls in on himself inside the tub in a fetal position.

 

After what feels like a century of self-reprimanding monologues, he finally leaves the shower and goes downstairs. Zoro is already sitting on the couch. Sanji feels naked with the guilt again and he tries to escape to the kitchen in an attempt to escape what he’s just done in a stranger’s bathroom.

“We’ve already brought pizza,” Zoro notes out, eyes locked on the TV screen.

Sanji looks around as everyone busies themselves with something: Nami is writing down something on her notebook, Usopp is showing Frank something on his phone, Luffy is probably playing some badass game on his phone while leaning back on his girlfriend's shoulder, and Keimi is watching the TV with her teeth scraping her fingernail, cheeks flushing.

But wait a damn second, why is everyone blushing?

“Pizza.” Sanji echoes, patronizing tone tainting his voice, “already fed up with my cooking?”

“Sit your butt down and be quiet for a sec.” Zoro rebukes as he nods at the empty space beside him, and it’s all it needs to be said to make Sanji silent. He makes his way between them and finally flops down onto the sofa. He hasn’t realized it until this moment, but he’s completely tired. He is not even sure ‘wrecked’ could cover it. “There’s been another murder,” he mumbles as he lays his head on the backrest, “A second male victim with missing organs, and fourth female victim with a missing fetus.”

“We couldn’t… I mean _they_ couldn’t find the killer.” Frank said, looking apologetic for some reason.

“They will find the killer, and they will rip him apart.” Nami tells him with a scary glare.

“They won’t.” Sanji mumbles, lazily.

“What the hell do you mean?” She switches to look at him now, visibly aggravated.

“I mean they won’t find the killer, and they certainly won’t rip him apart.” He sneers at her now.

“Why are you saying such things, Sanji? Why are you being cynical?” Keimi’s eyes water, and Sanji wishes if he could tell her otherwise.

He leans his head back again and closes his eyes, “when you get a series of murders, of course it’s a serial killer doing his magic, but let’s think about it for a moment. The police is relating the murders to human trafficking –which I’d have agreed with if I actually ignored the other victims. Of course I can relate the two last murders to human trafficking because we have missing organs, but have you checked the bodies? Well, I haven’t either but I’ve seen some photos. Someone flagged them for the families of the victims. There were no surgery wounds, or so to speak. Taking out organs from someone has to be performed with some accuracy, but it’s impossible to leave absolutely no surgery marks.” He sighs, chest heaving. “Now let’s talk about the four female victims, who in the world is capable of taking out a fetus from a mother’s womb without leaving any traces of any type of surgical marks? That is, of course, taking into consideration the fact that the fetuses were three months old. I checked the pictures of the four bodies and it can’t be a coincidence.”

“So what are you trying to say?” Usopp cuts him off.

“What if the cops are wrong, what if there’s more than just one killer.” He states, “It makes sense, doesn’t it?” He asks, almost as if addressing himself instead, “there’s a killer who’s going after pregnant women, and another going after teenage boys.”

“So what’s your theory about all this? Who’s killing who?” Luffy asks with drooped shoulders.

“I’ve been reading this amazing book about Asian creatures, and then I assumed something.” He shakes his head, “but of course I’m still theoretically speaking, it’s fun.” And then he continues, “Ever heard of the Aswang?” The others shake their heads, and so he resumes, “it’s an old vampire creature that has similar features to the bat, it appears as a normal woman by day, but it turns into an Aswang at night. Legend has it that these Aswangs have a hollow and pointed tongue which they use to suck blood from their male victims, but there’s actually another tale to this, it’s quite disturbing too.” He snorts, “It says that the Aswangs can suck out a fetus that’s 4 or 3 month old or more from their mother’s mouth.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in myths and superstitions.” Keimi screws up hers eyes, confused.

Sanji chuckles, “I don’t, but it helps explain what I can’t.” He sighs, jadedly. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

There’s silence for a while, as if everyone is seriously contemplating this theory.

“But,” Usopp furrows, “if it’s the Aswang killing those women, who is killing the teenage boys?”

Sanji’s breath hitches in his throat, and he can feel his heart starting to slam vigorously. He opens his eyes now, “Question: who disguises themselves as a beautiful woman and seduces young boys, only to feed off their heart and kidney?” He asks, and turns his head towards the windows, “easy, it’s the” –he smirks at the black-haired woman who’s staring at him from outside– “Gu” –She smirks– “Mi” –her smirk deepens– “Ho.”

The Gumiho’s face outside is no longer beautiful. Her eyes open more and her skin turns a hue of blue and gray. Her mouth stretches wider to reveal only blackness inside of it.

_Your turn is next, I swear on it!_

Sanji’s body is drugged with fear, he feels as though he can’t move a muscle. Thank you for the gentle reminder that his life is a never ending nightmare of pain. But only now does his head decide to act up again, and pain is hammering against his cerebellum to whip up ache all over his body. He shifts with a whine of pain.

“Sanji?”

He hears Keimi asking worriedly, but he can’t reply back even if he tries. His eyes are on the window, watching helplessly as the Gumiho’s hair dances around herself, that daunting presence promising to screw him over, drive his life to a ward reserved only for him at the town’s mental house.

“Hey, you okay?” Zoro rests his hand on the other’s shoulder, and someone gasps, “He’s hurting!” Frank shouts. Sanji’s heart is slamming so hard he can barely hear the commotion going on beyond the thud, “…somewhere.” Sanji hears Zoro’s disembodied voice, “does it hurt somewhere?” He hears him ask.

“Damn headaches.” Sanji mumbles and switches to look away from the window. He’s bunched the fabric of his sweatpants with his hands then he realized he was wheezing. “Sorry” He mumbles. He watches through slanted eyes how some of them are looking at the window and some of them are looking at him restlessly, “guess I should head back home.” He announces, and tries to stand up despite Zoro’s large hand on his shoulder pressing him down to the couch, but it all goes dark when his head meets the ground.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Star Guest:
> 
> Perona as Rona

 

“I passed out, didn’t I?” inquires Sanji as soon as his eyes part open, travelling instinctively to where he’d seen Zoro sit the other hour, and like a déjà-vu, he finds the man there, slowly turning around and nodding his head.

“Took a nosedive to the floor and hit your head pretty hard too.” He comments.

Sanji tries to sit up but there’s a hand on his chest pushing him back gently on the sofa, “rest more.” Zoro offers, and Sanji does as told without a protest, “sorry, I stopped taking my meds and it kind of backfired.” He explains, mouth too dry to add anything else, but Zoro is being a hero again when he pours him water. Let's just give the man a badge or something. The other drinks it gracefully. “That hit the spot.” He sighs, and soon asks again, “where’s everyone?” His eyes roam about the interior of the empty house.

“They’re going to be here soon.” Zoro reports while lifting himself up. He’s already spruced up formally and is probably going somewhere. Sanji doesn’t want to be left alone in the house with all the creeps outside preying on him. He hates it… 

“If you want me to stay just say so.” Zoro suddenly scoffs, teasingly.

Sanji presses his furled lips together, annoyed, “who does, you idiot.” He re-positions himself on the sofa. “I want to rest, go away.”

After Zoro gets out of the front door, Sanji hears the wheels of his car shrieking on the dirt and driving away, then the lights flash across the large windows and vanish.

It’s still nine in the evening but he’s already a wreck.

About the things he’s told them before he fainted, he must have sounded as mad as a March hare, telling them that the murderers aren’t humans but an Aswang _and_ a Gumiho, too? He’s hoping they’d relate his crazy talk to his fever, because he won’t stand it if people started pointing fingers at his straitjacket, or glaring at him vigilantly. He won’t stand it if Zeff came one Monday evening and told him to leave and go work in some far off hellhole away from his shop. He won’t stand it if Zoro told him to stay away from his house and never come back ever again. The house which has become a second home to him … he can’t stand the idea of being told to stay away from it.

That aside, didn’t the Gumiho promise to get him next?

He’s going back on the books he has read to see if they mentioned anything about how to take down a freaking Gumiho; those books could really help now. But his eyelids are not helping as they slowly shut close, and he’s down for the count so quickly.

 

Something is nudging against his neck and he wakes up startled.

“It’s just me” Zoro soothes, nudging his hand more against the other’s neck.

“What time is it now?” Sanji asks with his sleepy voice, steering his mind off the other’s hand.

“Eleven.” Zoro informs and slowly pulls his hand away.

 _What’s he been doing to his neck anyway_ _?_  Sanji sits up abruptly, “don’t tell me the kids are still outside!” he gushes with worry.

Zoro doesn’t push him back on the sofa, and instead, he levers up and sits beside the other. “Each went to their house, it’s a school night.”

Sanji nods, the vacation must be over now. It somehow takes him back to when he was a student himself and– "wait a minute, they don’t live here with you?” He glances up at the man who’s still in his beige sleeved shirt.

“They just spent the vacation here, what the hell gave you that idea.” He sighs, head leaning on the headrest of the sofa.

“The fact that they’ve been here every single time I came over, the fact that Nami and Keimi have been taking over the couch, or how about the fact that every each one of them has a room in this house?” He flails a hand, disappointedly, “I don’t know man, take your pick.” He also leans to the back.

There’s silence for a moment and soon Zoro glances up at him, “your head doesn’t hurt anymore?”

Sanji lolls his head to look at him, and shakes his head with a wan smile, “sorry for troubling you.” He said, hands resting on his lap, all relaxed. He suddenly locks eyes with Zoro and it is gradually getting embarrassing by the second because the man is not looking away. Sanji’s fingers twitch and he quickly looks elsewhere. “I’m starving,” he announces, hand rubbing his belly as he stands up, “want me to get you something on the way?”

Zoro shakes his head and soon he’s also standing up, “I’ll be in my room if you need anything.” He turns around, but pauses suddenly, “by the way, you’re still not allowed in any of the rooms.” He smirks and bounces up the stairs.

“This definitely makes me the new maid of the house.”

 

Sanji is in the kitchen. He’s not in the full spirit to make anything fancy; maybe something from the snacks they store might do the trick. He tries one of the onion rings bag, and the first bite is good, except, nope, _he can’t eat that garbage._ He’s settling for this nice fried rice with sliced green onions dish. He takes it to the coffee table and turns the TV on, watching some late talk show until someone knocks on the front door. He opens it and finds a beautiful lady with hazel eyes and shoulder-length, light red hair with her hand fisted in the air; she was probably about to go for another loud episode of pounding, good thing Sanji answered the door quicker than he is used to. She eyes him for a moment with a visible scowl, “it’s  _you._ ” She huffs.

“Excuse me?” His brows arch up very slowly.

She bumps into his shoulder vigorously when she walks past him, “Ronoa Zoro!” She calls out.

“Hey, you can’t just barge in here like that.” Sanji reprimands with his voice and face composed.

“What the hell?” She whips her head towards him, “do you have any idea who I am! I’m Zoro’s fiancée!”

“Oh,” Sanji chucks his head backward just a little in understanding. “Still, it doesn’t mean you can barge in and shout in the hall in the middle of the night, with your shoes still on.”

“This is my fiancé’s house, I’m allowed to do anything I want.” She flips her hair to the back, “beside, you don’t live here either, so who are you to tell me what I can’t do.”

“Guess being the maid of the house does have its perks.” He mumbles to himself, smirking playfully at a secret memory and maybe it’s not the smartest thing to do because she gets offended and she huffs through her nose. “Alright, how about you wait here while I go and get him for you, there’s no need to throw a tantrum so out of the blue, right?” He smiles to her as she finally presses her lips together, exasperated, but she also takes her high heels off. Congratulations Sanji, your score.

He jogs up the flight of stairs right to Zoro’s bedroom, knocks a few times on its door while calling the other’s name. He’s still thinking it’s a bad idea in the sense he’d been warned not to near this part of the house, but seeing no reply from Zoro has made its way out of the walls, he opens the door and tiptoes in. It’s a little dark but his eyes soon adapt to the dimness and he can make out the black blinds on the window that reach the ceiling in length, a white armoire at the far left side of the room with black circular shapes on it. There’s a fluffy black carpet covering almost every side around the white bedding. The white mattress cover and blankets match elegantly with the gloss black bedside drawers and the white modern lamps. All in all, it’s an astonishing blend of white and black, and Sanji is tolerating the thought that Zoro’s room is actually double-size his. Speaking of him, Sanji can see some parts of his naked back under the duvet. He skulks very slowly while whispering out his name, and that’s not how it works if you’re trying to rouse someone. Sanji’s quivering hand stretches to rest on the other’s marble shoulder, “Zoro, your fiancée is here to see you.”

“I know,” the other deadpans, and it’s not a mumble coming from someone who’s just been awaken in the middle of the night,  _almost_ middle of the night –not the point.

“Heck man, if you’re up then go see her, she looks really pissed.”

“Tell her to go home,” he requests, struggling a little with the duvet but soon managing to get it over his ears, “I’m tired.”

“Not cool.” Sanji comments, tugging at the quilt, “you can’t send her off when she came all the way here to see you. I got to tell you, she’s pissed off so you’d better get your ass up.”

“Take the keys to my car and drive her off for me.” He offers in a mumble.

“I’m not your henchman.” Sanji berated, “and she’s your fiancée, not mine.”

Zoro sighs infuriatingly, and Sanji finally manages to steal the duvet away from him. All praise to the Lord for Zoro is wearing his black sweatpants. “She’s a colossal pain in my ass.” Zoro admits as he walks to the foot of the bed to pick up his white Tee and don it.

 “Come on now, have a little touch of a suave man in you, see what she wants. It must be serious seeing that she came at this late hour.” Sanji coaxes.

Zoro is adjusting his shirt and soon stomps out of the room, locking the door behind him. Sanji is confused. Maybe Zoro thinking about his fiancée and what kind of trouble she’s brought with her made him forget about Sanji being in the room with him, and locked the door, or maybe… he didn’t want him downstairs interrupting anything. Sanji sighs, he’s too surprised to think too hard on it. He sits down on the bed, the duvet is wrapped around his arms and now he takes his time to look around. This wonderful mix of black and white is getting at him, but not more than how Zoro’s scent is filling up his nose. The room smells exactly like him, especially the bed. Speaking of which, he can lay back on it and try to see how it feels, and the result isn’t the least bit disappointing. He flings the blanket over him and rests on the left side of the bed. His head dips on the smooth pillow, and the covers feel so nice on his arms. It’s comfortable he’d sleep there two weeks in a row, give or take. He’d sleep until the Gumiho finds another chew toy to play with.

_Man, he even forgot the TV on, too…_

The sun always finds a way to sneak up and land right on that mug of yours. Sanji mumbles something but it’s nothing that particularly makes sense. Nothing does lately anyway. Also, nothing has changed from his position from last night. He’s still on his right side, facing the windows, and then he switches to sleep on his back. There’s someone else sleeping beside him he can make out their shape through his blurry vision. His eyes snap open at the realization that he wormed his way into another man’s bed. He finds Zoro sleeping like a log next to him, with a scowl on his forehead. He tells himself he needs to calm down first before or without jumping to any conclusions, and he can just take this chance to take a close-up look at the other man, which, okay, sounds weird when he thinks of it so loud like this, but his curiosity can’t be sated otherwise.

Zoro looks peaceful and safe to approach, as though a hissing cat has finally taken a nap, and that half tanned skin, the strange yet adorable angle of his upper eyelids, those red lips slightly parted. Sanji’s fighting the urge to brush his fingers over them and see if they’re just as soft as they look to be, o God he’s fighting it with a passion.

Zoro’s eyes are starting to twitch and he’s also waking up, and soon, dark eyes land on Sanji’s, captivating in the morning.

“’morning” he mumbles, sleepily.

_The defenselessness of the usually unapproachable man underlines the proximity of their body heats._

Sanji, very quickly, turns his head away to look for a watch or anything that can show him the time. There’s a clock on the bedside drawer at his side showing 8:26. “Aren’t you late for work?”

“Work can wait.” Zoro mumbles more as he shifts to sleep on his back, too.

“People like you are a waste of Oxygen.” Sanji comments as he sits up, “what do you do anyway?”

“Banking.” The other replies curtly, his eyes shutting down. Is he planning to go back to sleep?

“That explains a lot.” He nods to himself. Indeed, the banking job explains a lot. “When did you get back last night?”

“Around two in the morning.” Zoro’s also sitting up now, hair sticking up funnily to some edges.

“Did you” –Sanji quickly decides against going with what he wanted to ask– “I’m going to prepare breakfast and you’d better be dressed up and ready in ten, that's my final deal.” He removes the blanket off of his legs and he’s about to swing them to the floor when Zoro speaks, “Rona brought her own car, it’s not like I gave her a ride.” He says, and quickly adds, “the reason I was late is because something came up and I–”

“Why are you telling me this?” Sanji interjected with a frown visible across his forehead.

Zoro shrugs, “you looked like you wanted to know.”

Sanji rolls his eyes and leaves the bed completely, “I just want to know if it was worth it seeing how you locked me in.”

“I didn’t lock you  _in._ I was outside, so technically, I locked myself  _out._ ”

“It’s good to be all laughs and humors at ass o’clock in the morning but, man, please leave me out of it.” –that can include the literal meaning. He sighs as he turns away.

“If that’s an order, I swear–” he’s about to promise something –not anything good– when Sanji whips around on his heels, lips parted comically. “Don’t you think this little no-orders deal is getting old? I’m not sure about you but it’s really starting to work on my nerves. I’m also not going to be the only one feeling bad about it, so, here” He says, a hand on the handle of the door, “it _was_ an order. It’s no-brainer, so shove it, you idiot.” He bites out and quickly slams the door shut behind him when he gets out. “Doesn’t even understand what he’s saying, bastard.” He mumbles to himself, fretfully, and soon makes his way to the bathroom.

 

The smell of fresh coffee fills up the house and it’s sending his sleep buzzes away. Zoro comes down dressed up in his Polka-dotted, pine-green sleeved shirt. White pants and a Daffodil yellow belt. He sits at the counter and waits as Sanji pours him some coffee. Seconds later and someone’s phone vibrates outside the kitchen, Sanji’s. “Who could be calling now?” He goes back to the living room to find the answer, and it's the shop owner. “What gives?” He quickly cuts to the chase

“I’m making new changes in the shop, and I’ve already called up the guys to start the reparations.” He reports, a little excited judging by his tone, “so you don’t need to come, wait till I call you back.”

“I can help?” He offers.

“Oh,” Zeff gushes, “no need, think of it as a late vacation and go have fun.”

“Well, just call me when you’re done. There’s hardly anything to do in town beside the job.”

“Don’t worry, I will. I’m going to make you work doubles too, so take the gift and make best of it.”

The call ends with some recommendations from Sanji’s part to the shop owner about the reparations, and soon, he goes back to the kitchen to find that Zoro’s already finished his coffee. Sanji sits on one of the stools, fingers wrapping around his cup containing the lukewarm coffee now. “Zoro…” he starts, sheepish and all.

“I won’t bend the rules if scrounging up a few bucks from me is what you want.” Zoro says on a small simper.

“I’m not a leech.” Sanji berates, “it’s just that the shop owner’s just called, said he was making some changes in the shop so I needn’t come for a few days. I was wondering if I’d stay here a bit more. I mean I’m going to glue myself to this place, I just want to stay with you guys until I’m allowed back, and there’s really not much to do in town, except for the library.” He’s ending his request with a mumble, a shy one.

“Make yourself useful.” Zoro says, he’s at the door with just a few strides. “Clean the house,” he demands and quickly storms out of the kitchen.

“I’m not your maid either!” Sanji shouts loud enough for the other to hear.

His lips start to part and widen, and then he’s grinning to himself like a complete idiot.

 

Even if he says he isn’t their maid or he isn’t going to do any cleaning because he already cooks their meals, he still ends up cleaning at least the first floor of the house. He goes to clean Zoro’s room since he isn’t allowed into the others’. He makes the bed, opens the windows and takes Zoro’s clothes to the washing machine. He lifts a t-shirt like some apple-pie live-in housewife and beholds _the three diagonal claw marks on it, outlined with fading traces of blood._ He’s not going to speculate on it for now because this morning, Zoro didn’t have any injuries whatsoever.

 There’s hardly anything else to do in the house without a laptop or something that can connect him to the outside world, so he picks a book from the wall bookshelf behind the couch that used to belong to the two black widows. He doesn’t even know why he never paid attention to it before because the lined books are exactly the type of books he enjoys reading: folktales, myths and fictitious novels about Asian legendary creatures and tales passed down from generation to generation. He’s sitting on the couch now and suddenly hears tapping sounds in the ceiling, but this time, he knows it’s not just in his head. He ignores it though because the sun’s golden bright and it can fight all the freaks away. He turns the page and continues reading this interesting book?

 

He wakes up to find himself asleep on the armrest of the sofa with the book open on his face, and judging from the angle of the sunlight now, it must be near sunset. The front door opens and Zoro saunters in, spinning the keys to his car in his index.

“I was just getting used to the silence of the house.”

“I can see that.” Zoro comments, eying the books scattered on the coffee table. Sanji scrunches up his nose to look apologetic and stumbles to his feet, taking the books back to the shelf. “I’m going to take a walk outside, wanna come?”

“Are you inviting me out?” Sanji turns around, amused.

“You cleaned the house.” Zoro reasons on a shrug, “That’s your reward?”

“And it couldn’t be anything fancy?”

“Thought you said you weren’t a leech.” Zoro is giving him a shit-eating grin, his hands now digging into his pockets.

“I’d totally use some fancy food giving how I’m working my ass off for you guys.”

“I can do that.” Zoro presses his lips together with a nod, considering the suggestion like it’s a death or life situation, which is, in all honesty, endearing.

Sanji chuckles, “I’m kidding. Using forks and knives to eat Braised Cabbage isn’t my style.” He winks, “I’ll take you up of your offer.”

 

They’ve been climbed up the hill behind the house for a good few minutes and Zoro hasn’t received the inspiration to stop yet. Sanji is already out of breath. “Oh, Keimi’s just texted me. She says hi.” He scrolls down his phone screen and returns it to his pocket when he texts her back. “So I’m guessing you live by yourself.”

“My family lives overseas, they’re only here on occasions.” Zoro explained, his voice calm and his form stoic despite the effortful walk up the hill. Where does he get stamina from, Magic land? He's a little farther from Sanji who is panting like a dog as though he’s finished a marathon. “Any sisters or brothers?” he asks.

“An older sister.” The raven-haired replies, and stops in his tracks at the edge.

Sanji is still a few seconds behind, but he manages to catch up just in time to feel that sudden surge of wind emerging from the bottom of the steep slope. The sun is painting the clouds with a mix of crimson and Sakura-pink shades, a few birds are flying in a V towards the sun, the Dandelions around them are blowing away with the wind to say goodbye.

“Amazing.” Sanji gasps, admirably

Zoro’s standing like a beech tree facing off a storm, eyes locked on the sky and glittering as if they were on fire, hair ruffling in sync with the gentle breeze and his shiny lips are slightly parted. He is dazzling. Sanji knows all this because he’s watching him with keen eyes. “Feral children,” he mutters and the other man turns around fully to face him. “There are stories about children who had been lost or abandoned in the woods, they grow up tracking and hunting just as if they were animals, and soon they’re found and taken back to the society, and taught how to act more civilized.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Zoro asks with an apparent crease above his brows.

Sanji crouches down with a heavy sigh, “most of those kids who were captured couldn’t survive, or simply fled back to the woods because they could not cope with the so called social life; and I don’t blame them. I mean I’m looking at this” –he whirls a hand to point at the green mountains surrounding them– “and I think how I wouldn’t mind wandering around –if it meant people would stay the hell out of my life. I don’t see any point in taking a feral back to a place like that” –he points now at the town glaring at him from the far distance– “and teach them how to walk on two, how to talk or how to catch a ball like some dumb Chihuahua.” He sighs more, “those ferals lived most of their childhood in the woods, and they’ve survived just fine away from this worldly place, so why take them back and ruin it for them?”

“Are you angling for something with this?” Zoro narrows his eyes in suspicion, and Sanji simply shrugs.

“I’m not” he says, and adds hurriedly, “I mean, do you mind ferals?”

Zoro turns to look at what’s left of the sun and there’s strangely a vague smile on his lips, “I don’t. I trust nature.”

“As in more than you trust people.” Sanji guesses, almost fervently. The other only shrugs a broad shoulder. “Maybe I’m asking too much, I mean I know what you mean, nature is loyal and gives you that sense of self-fulfillment and security that nothing else can, somehow. But you can depend on people, too.”

“Preaching me now?”

“I’m not.” He shakes his head and lifts up to his feet. “I just want you to trust me more.”

“More?” Zoro is looking puzzled for a beat moment.

“I know you trust me, or else why would you let me in your house, or in your  _bedroom._ ” He blushes at the mere memory of waking up to Zoro’s body heat encroaching his, “though it sounds awkward, not sure of its function in this context really.”

“OK, that’s ten seconds of my life that I won’t get back, what’s your point?”

“You have serious trusting issues, dude, and all that I’m trying to say is that people can be trusted too.” He says, doggedly, and confidently enough for it not to come out croaked.

Zoro gives a small eye roll and makes to walk back towards his house, “if you add anything, I’ll personally shove you down the hill.”

Sanji follows in a hasty jog just to catch up, “hey, told you guys I’m poetic, but I’m actually more than that.”

“Yes.” Zoro agrees, “A nosy bastard is what you are.”

Sanji is mumbling a colorful string of expletives behind him when Zoro suddenly grinds to an abrupt halt that Sanji bumps into his back, “why did you stop?”

Zoro quickly cups the other’s mouth, eyes examining the greenish landscape around them, “do you ever shut up?” He inquires, begrudgingly.

Sanji isn’t worried about it, or about how Zoro is looking alerted all of a sudden as though he’s a danger-radar going off. He’s more worried about the salty hand on his mouth. It’s doing things to his stomach, weird things, things that shouldn’t be done.

“It’s getting darker.” Zoro announces, retracting his hand, “let’s go back.”

 


	8. Chapter 8

 

 

He’s eating egg rolls and Japchae, a Korean dish consisting of stir-fried noodles and vegetables, it’s so sweet and savory that he can’t help but go for another serving. It’s almost ten and it’s been a couple of hours on end since Zoro locked himself in his room like some emo chick. The opening credits of ‘I Saw The Devil’ are about to roll up when Zoro walks down the stairs, making his way to the kitchen like a man with a purpose, and Sanji is looking smug because he knew something like that would happen when, in fact, Zoro himself said he wasn't hungry. So he made two shares just in case. The other joins him on the sofa and they watch the thrilling movie attentively.

“That’s retarded, he should just clock his prized enemy with a wrench or a hammer and get this whole revenge deal over with, but what does he do? He lets him _live_!”

“Only to beat him again” Zoro explains.

“That’s twisted.” Sanji is looking disgusted, “maybe his fiancée was indeed better off dead.”

Zoro only twists the corner of his lips in a barely evident smile.

 

The clock finally hits eleven. Zoro stretches his back a little with a small yawn. So he calls it night and retreats back to his room, leaving Sanji to explore the gory ending of the movie by himself. It is not cool, by the way. Ghosts and lost souls are OK, but serial killers are much worse. Also, he is yet to figure out why the house owner is so fucking attached to his bedroom. If there’s a little chest under Zoro’s bed with gold in it, Sanji would like to be included because he cooks their meals now. He needs a different source of money and gold seems like a good wage. Ah. He turns the TV off once the movie ends, he’s postponed the post-night horrors enough as it is, and he flops back on the sofa.

Of course he’s slept enough through the day in his little nap, but he’d really use some sleep now, because, hello? He climbed a freaking hill?

A few minutes into the night, interrupted by him kicking off the throw and then flinging it back on him, and his huffing every time something scary pops up when he closes his eyes, he finally bolts up to a sitting position. He drops his face on his hands and groans. He’s always hated insomniac symptoms and having his thoughts running a few miles an hour when his body is tired and craving some much needed sleep is a huge fucking sign of insomnia.

He checks the clock on his phone and it’s showing two in the morning.

_Damn it…_

He lifts himself off the sofa and walks up the stairs, right to Zoro’s room which door has been left open when usually it’s not. The raven-haired man is sleeping soundly on the right side of the bed, hugging the covers, afraid someone like Sanji would steal them away. There’s a smile growing along Sanji’s lips. He doesn’t understand why he was so nervous about this, he’s just going to sleep on the left side of the bed and try not to dream.

Yet all the way, he’s never even once looked up at the windows…

 

Sanji has developed the habit of waking up once the sun is up and shining like Jennifer Aniston with a new engagement ring. He stretches with a relented sigh at the end, and when he sits up, it’s just him in the ridiculously large bed for one person. He’s checking the clock on his phone that’s showing him 8:20 when Zoro opens the door and walks in with just a small towel around his waist. Sanji is _not_ blushing, he’s apathetically nonchalant about this and he’s _not_ feigning it either, really.

“’Thought you weren’t a morning person.” Sanji decides to direct his attention to something entirely different than steaming body heat and irregular heartbeats, tactfulness has its perks.

“That kind of habit hits the wall when there’s someone grinding his teeth the whole night.” Zoro heads to the door of the armoire and opens it to pick something to wear for work.

“I don’t do that.” Sanji chides, a little bit embarrassed, “maybe because I was a little stressed out last night, but I don’t grind my teeth so don’t kick me out.” He requests, bashfully, as though Zoro has made threats before. He quickly glances up at the man, finding a trace of a smirk still tugging at his lips. _This jerk is totally enjoying this!_

“You’re staying here today?” Zoro asks as he takes out his denim shirt and dark jeans.

The other shakes his head on a faint sigh, “I have to meet up with someone.” He reports, leaving the bed now, “but if it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to come back here when I’m done.”

The taller man is done putting his jeans on, he’s zipping it up when Sanji shortens the distance between them and stands _right_ in his face. “You can call one of the kids if it’s boring all by yourself.” Saying so, He puts the denim shirt on his white top tank and buttons it up.

“If they’re busy with school then I won’t bother anyone.” Sanji gives a synchronized smile, his hands dart forward to rest on the other’s and Zoro unconsciously pulls them away, letting Sanji undo the upper buttons. The latter pauses when he notices that Zoro has fallen quiet and is not saying anything and only fixating on his face. He pulls away too. “You know, for more street cred.” He shrugs, a hint of flushed cheeks showing on his face.

“Nami stays at Luffy’s most of the time.” Zoro tells him colloquially as he skids his deep-set eyes away now, “Keimi stays at her boyfriend’s too when they’re studying, Frank is busy with love ploys, so Usopp is the only one available.” He closes the door of the armoire now –slams it, to be strictly speaking.

“Kei has a boyfriend?” Sanji wraps his arms over his chest at the news.

“Someone called Bart.” He notes out, sidestepping his bed to grab the keys to his car from the nightstand.

“Bart, what kind ‘name is that?” He follows the other as he walks out of the room, his hasty movement ungraceful and, well...hasty. “Wait, does this mean you haven’t even bothered to run a little background check on the guy?”

“I don’t have time for that,” he snapped, voice still steady. “Keimi can take care of herself.”

“She’s seventeen!” Sanji gasps in a tone latent with anger and disbelief, “and what the hell do you mean she can take care of herself, didn’t you say you were family?”

“And families don’t spy on each other.” Zoro is walking down the stairs now.

“We’re talking about Kei, our cupid Keimi? What if the guy is mean to her?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He opens the door of his car and gets in, but Sanji blocks his way when he holds the door with his both hands. “Look, I don’t have time for this child’s play, if you want to check on the guy then do it yourself.”

“Bastard, you’re only talks after all,” Sanji sighs, disheartened.

Zoro takes the other’s hands off of the door like he’s some bug stuck on the window and slams it close, waits until the window rolls down to speak, “there’s a duplicate key in my room, use it when you get back.” He instructs and soon flings an irritated ‘have a good day’ before driving off, leaving only a cloud of dust behind as it wafts in the space.

Sanji feels his cheeks red with fury as he bites down his bottom lip. He only goes back into the house when it strikes him that he hasn’t had any breakfast yet. He cooks a nice meal and don’t expect him to stay angry with an empty stomach, and obviously, getting decked by Ronoa Zoro is more prone to happen than winning lottery. He turns the TV on the general news, and it doesn’t mention anything about any new victims, thank God for small mercies. He only needs to retrieve the keys from Zoro’s room now and then hop on his bike for work.

Sanji delves into the drawers, finding the keys sooner than he estimated. He finds a photo tucked inside as well. He takes it out and eyes the smiling girl, her doleful eyes glittering as she grins widely, her arms wrapped around Zoro’s belly and it’s obvious he’s the one who took the photo. He’s also smiling, a cheerful and worry-free smile, it’s genuine.

Sanji takes the keys and returns the photo back to the drawer because it feels like he’s imposing on someone else’s privacy, and he doesn’t do that. He closes the door of the room once he’s out. His beat-up bike is leaning on the side of the stairs at the porch, askew, he uses it to get down town because there’s an appointment, a therapy session actually that he needs to attend to.

But no matter what he tells himself, what he tries to busy his mind with he still can’t ignore the _strange_ feelings swirling inside his stomach about that photo he's found….

 

He’s sitting on the couch in this novel room that just keeps giving him the crawly feeling, especially with the fake Walter Keane’s Big Eyes over the desk, which, dear scopophobic peeps, talk about facing your fears. Ms. Hancock kept writing down on her memo even after the session was over. He’s decided to confront her once and for all, and not even the dark orbs can stop him. “I don’t think I’ll be coming again.”

She looks taken aback for a split second and then puzzled as she asks, “Why?”

He’s not going to keep quiet about his reasons, he’s fucking had it. “Well, for starters, this damn couch is uncomfortable.” He pats its fabric to stress his point. Actually, he’s come in contact with sofas a lot lately, and maybe he’s becoming an expert on how comfortable sofas should be. “Second, you ask ‘why’ a lot and it’s not like I have an answer for that every single time you ask.” He shakes his head, as if that’s such a matter-of-factly that she’s just failed to realize, and she’s the one with a PhD. “And third, I really don’t need this therapy session. I’m not a depressed person and no, you’re not going to tell me all depressed patients say that because if anything, I’m happy with how things are now, my life is stable at the moment and I don’t want to waste both our time in vain.” Those are pretty good reasons if you ask him.

Ms. Hancock chews on her bottom lip and soon nods hesitantly, “I understand. I’m not going to force you.” She says, tapping the pen on her palm, “but I’d like you to contact me from time to time.”

“You’re a wonderful therapist, but I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore.” He says, standing up now, “thank you for everything.”

 

The therapy deal is done and over with, it's only history now, thankfully, hopefully. It’s almost one in the afternoon and, to be fair, Sanji is getting pretty hungry by the second and there’s no harm in going to the Ken’s. He doesn’t find Coby, and the dad tells him his son’s still at school. Sanji orders the same and when he’s done eating, he tells the dad to say hi to his kid. He goes to the town’s library now, on a mission to look up Gumihos. He reads one article after another and grabs books and reads one page after another. Then he pauses and drops everything. _He can’t believe he’s looking up Gumihos when people are being productive reading about the Joseon dynasty and Galileo Galilee’s role in the scientific revolution during the Renaissance_. He’s not making it up alright, there’s a nerdy boy next to him doing research on some Galileo articles, and a girl on the table across from his going through a book about the Joseon dynasty –that’s vast by the way, just saying. And here he is, reading about creepy creatures that people of town and pretty much every other living being on this planet believes exist in books only. He’s grateful that no one seems interested in what he’s looking at so he turns the page and keeps on reading. The girl leaves, and after some time, the glasses boy leaves too. It’s almost six when a spectacle, skinny woman in her late thirties taps the edge of his table and tells him it’s almost closing time. He gets out and undoes the chain on the wheel of his bike, and then someone unexpected calls. “I’m not sure how you got my number, but I’m ready to bet Kei had something to do with it.”

“She called her phone with yours and got the number when you weren’t looking.” Usopp explained, curtly.

“Witty.” Sanji comments, looking impressed.

“So I walked by the shop where your work and there was a sign outside that said under reparations,” Usopp informs, and soon asks, “Where are you?”

“Right now I’m outside the local library.” He turns around to read the sign; it’s exactly like how you take your headphones off when you smell something funny, _people,_ it’s irrelevant!

“What do you mean ‘now’?” Usopp asks, “Where are you usually at?”

“Zoro’s?” He shrugs, but really, it’s not like Usopp can see it.

“You mean you’re still staying there?” He gushes on, and for some reason, it sounds like he can’t even wrap his head around the revelation, “This is huge news. Wait, don’t go anywhere. I’ll be there in a few.”

Usopp is there in no time actually, dressed in his blue uniform –those beige skinny pants are the best thing their school has ever come up with. Sanji is getting the impression that Usopp has been standing behind the door of the library or something, people don’t just materialize from thin air. “Tell me you weren’t joking.”

“I’m fine, thanks, how about you?” Sanji shakes his head, scoffing.

Usopp is giving a sheepish grin, “Sorry, I was just surprised.”

Sanji saves him out of his misery and provides him with a concise and clear explanation, “I told him about the reparations going on in the shop, and asked him if I’d stay until you guys come back from school. He didn’t say anything really because he likes to give people something to ponder about, so I tried to be smart about it and took it as a yes and stayed.”

Usopp is eying him as if he’s grown a second head, a rotten fish head, “hey, my homeroom teacher is coming in late tomorrow,” He hooks his thump over his shoulder, pointing at somewhere, Sanji guesses that's the direction to his school, “can I tag along?”

That’s coming from the little punk who wouldn’t stop giving him shit over the course of two weeks. That’s saying something.

“Dude, that’d be great.” Sanji exclaims jovially, “Zoro is usually home late and it’s so boring to have the house all to myself.” He could dig up that chest of gold to kill time.

Usopp slides his hands into his pockets as Sanji gets the bike moving between them, “this is still unbelievable, Mr. Ronoa got a real hate on strangers. He can’t trust them if he isn’t comfortable with around them, but he’s made you an exception since day one, remember, when you got lost in the woods?”

When you gave him empty ammunition instead of a steaming mug of hot chocolate? Yeah, he remembers.

“That memory is kind of filtered under the ‘most ass out moments of my life’ so unfortunately I cannot forget even if I wanted to.” Sanji says on a disappointed sigh, “and it’s more like he’s just being hospitable, _way_ too hospitable, if you ask me. And I –the imprudent ignoramus that I’ve recently become, abused it.”

Sanji decides he can’t keep borrowing their clothes whenever he comes over, so he tells Usopp that they sort of have to make a quick stop at his place so he’d pick some clothes, his laptop and some personal stuff. His apartment is silent as always, it’s not an eerie silence, but it makes him a little sad. If Usopp wasn’t downstairs waiting to take him to a house full of life, he’d be lounging on his bed with nothing to do but sleep. Maybe some changes have been secretly sought out, even if he himself doesn’t want to realize it. He quickly picks up what he came here for in a small backpack and returns to where Usopp has been waiting. During the walk to Ronoa’s house, Sanji couldn’t help but notice how the punk next to him had been off, acting wary, eyes flashing around and back every now and then. So maybe he’s just uncomfortable.

Sanji isn’t stupid. He knows what kind of guy Usopp is, and he knows he wouldn’t have volunteered to see him off work if Zoro didn’t request it. While that is a little heartwarming, Sanji is afraid he and Usopp wouldn’t have a near chance by a whisker to have a go at it once and for all.

He uses the keys to open the door, and the way with which he carries on this small action punches a gasp from Usopp’s lungs.

“He even gave you a double key!”

“It’s more like I forced it out of him, stop misinterpreting everything.” He reels his head and pierces through the door, followed by an astonished Usopp. Really, was it that unusual… that _strange_?

Sanji ushers the younger one to the sofa, but Usopp shakes his head and sprawls over the floor at the foot of the sofa instead, “this is the most comfortable place in the world” immature yet genuine.

Ha, Usopp was still a child after all.

“And it’s all yours for today, make best of the chance.” He tells him the good news, goes to grab two cans of soda. He comes back and flings one to the kid who catches it with some deadly accuracy. Sanji flops on the sofa and sighs relaxingly. “You said you and Frank go to the same class?”

“Yes, but he’s kind of busy now.” There’s a blush making its way to his cheeks, this guy is like an open book, and it sort of makes Sanji want to deride him shamelessly for it.

Hey, maybe they got off on the wrong foot but Sanji can handle this.

“You mean Hoshi?” He’s looking smug at the hint.

“What?”

Sanji rolls his eyes. Must he spell everything for them? “Shirahoshi?”

Usopp almost spills the soda over his mouth, he actually does and he wipes it with his sleeve. He spins his head so hard Sanji is surprised he didn’t snap a pipe. “H-how do you know about her?” He’s looking like a flabbergasted lemur.

Sanji juts a shoulder and takes another sip, “something happened a few days back at the shop when she came by, that’s how I found out.”

“Yes.” he says, breathily, “that’s why he couldn’t make it tonight.” He's looking at the TV screen even though it’s off.

“Could it be,” Sanji leans in now, “you like her, too?” Usopp falls speechless, Sanji can guess this much, “you and Frank are good friends, first I thought you liked _him_ , but then you guys always like the same things so I assumed you liked her, too.”

“You’re pretty sharp.” Usopp admits and Sanji smiles proudly at the compliment. “And Luffy is my best friend.”

Sanji ignores that bit. Try to find faults all you want, he still got it right. “So why not try your luck with her?”

“Forget it.” He presses his lips together and slumps to the back, looking like a man who has lost his job and got kicked out of his house all in the same day. “She’s not going to choose me.”

“You haven’t even tried, and isn’t he still trying to win her over?”

“That was like a couple of days ago, now they’re totally going out and she obviously likes him.”

They’re both silent for a while. Sanji’s knees are swinging relaxingly as he relishes the silence. “So how do you feel about it?”

“Acting like my shrink now?” Usopp scoffs with a smirk. And Sanji has to agree because Ms. Hancock’s reciting of Totem and Taboo was obviously rubbing off.

“Alright, let’s just get the chick-fleck train out of the station already–”

“I’m a little upset.” Usopp cuts him off. “But he’s my man, I’m happy if he is.” He gives a rueful grin.

Usopp didn’t grin ruefully, he mocked with scornful jeers and treated anything that didn’t humor him with contempt, but he didn’t grin ruefully. He never grins ruefully.

And, honestly, Sanji kind of wants that version of Usopp back.

“Once upon a time, a king went hunting in the forest and lost his way,” he starts, and ignores the confused look Usopp is giving him, “A man named Rajdeep helped him back to his palace, so the king made him his guard. One day, Rajdeep met a beautiful girl named Deepti and asked her to marry him. Deepti agreed and so Rajdeep took her to the king. On meeting the king, Deepti asked _him_ to marry her.” Sanji sighs. This Deepti bitch gets on his nerves every time he remembers the story. “On hearing this, Rajdeep was hurt but he agreed. The king asked her ‘why do you want to marry me instead of Rajdeep’? And Deepti replied ‘because I want to live in a palace’. The king gave Rajdeep a palace and asked Deepti to marry him.”

“I’m definitely the king.”

“Depends on your sacrifice, though I wouldn’t want you to be neither of them, they’re both stupid for still letting her in when obviously all she wanted was the palace.” Sanji goes for another sip but the can is empty, so he places it over the coffee table.

“Man, how come you don’t have a girlfriend, or a _boyfriend_?” Usopp is sitting cross-legged now, looking up at Sanji who shrugs and adds, “Not my biggest concern.” It really isn’t. He is a grownup who sees hallucinations on the mirror when he’s freaking brushing his teeth, he doesn’t want any commitments to a difficult relationship which he knows he wouldn’t commit to. “But you guys are still teenagers, and stories of love should flourish around this particular time of your life since you don’t have to worry about mouths to be fed.”

Usopp’s making some wise-old-man jokes about it when the front door suddenly shots opens, and Zoro storms in, followed by a cheered-up Frank. Usopp greets Zoro but Sanji fumbles over the couch for the remote. Frank sits beside his friend, and Zoro hops up the stairs to his room without a single word, which is what he always does.

“You two are fighting?” Usopp asks, and Frank nods next to him, crunching his nose up as if Sanji shoved his ass full of rotten seaweed. “You guys didn’t even look at each other.”

Sanji brings a pillow and hits their heads, “stop saying nonsense. I’m up for a movie, you guys in?” He can’t bring himself to smell his armpits but if two people have looked at him like he’s rotting from the inside then he’s noting it in his head to take a shower later.

“Rough Cut is legit, but I can settle for something funny.” Frank leans his back on the slip covered cushions of the seat deck, perfect, so that Sanji can hit his head, “you’ve just come in and you’re already telling us what to watch?”

“Rush Hour.” Usopp suggests after a small chuckle, “It’s pretty funny.”

 

They settle for the first part of the movie, but Sanji decides they can’t die starving because none of them wants to miss one of Jackie Chan’s crazy moves. How awkward it’d be for Zoro to come down and find three dead bodies in front of the TV as the movie’s ending credits roll up because they were too caught up to eat. He gets up to prepare some dinner for the four of them. Yes, he’s going to make Zoro’s share too, even though right now, he hates that bastard so much.

 

He makes stir-fried macaroni with sausage, and takes the plates back inside. The second part has already started but he’s in no mood to bash them for not waiting until he was done. It’s around midnight when Usopp calls it quits, Frank agrees and each retreats to his room upstairs. Sanji relaxes more now on the sofa as he continues watching, he wouldn’t need to hide himself in the pillows like an ostrich every time people kiss. Half an hour later, Zoro then walks down the stairs, panels thumping under his bare foot, and of course Sanji is going to ignore him as he takes the plates off the table and to the kitchen. When he gets back, he finds the other man hogging the sofa, “get up, I’m sleeping here.”

“This is my house.”

“I can leave if that’s what you’re angling for.”

“You know I didn’t mean it like that.” Zoro heaves a sigh as he gets up. He walks up to the shorter male who feels a sudden urge to turn around and flee back to the kitchen, but there’s a hand on his wrist to stop him.

“I’m still not talking to you, remember?”

“Come on, are we kids?”

This gets to Sanji, so he spins around but the hand on his wrist is not budging, “you’re the bastard who’s been acting like a total ass since the crack of dawn.”

“What part of family business don’t you understand?” Zoro demands, vehemently. His voice deep and his form composed. His hand still wrapped around the other’s wrist, but almost gingerly, as if Sanji’s wrist is only a twig that could crack under too much force.

“You’re practically leaving me out of everything. I just want to feel like I belong, I want you to trust me more. Why can’t you understand that?”

“Do you have any idea what you’re saying?” Zoro flails his other hand, “you’re asking for too much, Sanji.”

“It’s not. I’m a man of my word.”

“Why does it bother you anyway?” Zoro narrows his eyes, shrugging slightly, “I don’t get it.”

Sanji is looking elsewhere now, “why does it bother _you_ if it’s bothering me?”

“You’re nosy.” Zoro concludes his reasons, and it’s not making Sanji any bit proud.

“Let go.” He demands, visibly annoyed. The pressure on his wrist is not tapering off, “let go of me!” He repeated. His free hand darts to take the other’s off, but it’s only tightening more and Sanji winces, “you’re hurting me.” He whispers on a small whine in the back of his throat.

Zoro’s eyes widen like he’s just realized what his hand has been doing to the other man’s wrist, so he releases him and Sanji pulls his hand to his chest, checking on the finger marks scarred on his wrist. There’s a shadow looming closer, when he looks up, he sees Zoro leaning in to rest his forehead on his shoulder. And why is he looking like a kicked puppy? Sanji is the victim here. He’s nuzzling more against Sanji’s neck now, his nose scrubbing against the stubble. “You can’t just wiggle your way out of a conversation whenever you like.”

“You’re strange.” Zoro breathes out, and now he uses the tip of his nose to brush along the pale skin of Sanji’s neckline.

“Hate to break it to you, buddy, but you’re not the first one to say that to me.” He smiles broadly to himself, as though he’s secretly keeping a tally of how many times everyone around says that to him; and Zoro doesn’t look like he’s paying attention, he’s _exhaling_. Maybe Sanji really does smell. And he also has absolutely no idea what to do with his hands, ball them, or slide them into his pockets or what?

He’s clenching his fists to try and stop his hands from shaking, “Zoro?” He calls out, gently. Zoro rests a hand on the side of Sanji’s neck and the other on his delicate elbow, nose still brushing along Sanji’s neck. Sanji lets out a relaxed sigh, and he decides he doesn’t want to keep his hands hidden in his pockets as he slides them out and rests them on either side of Zoro’s hipbones, his head titling to lean on the hand on his neck and at the same time, to leave space to Zoro’s nose on his throat. The latter reaches to the crook of Sanji’s neck and uses his pair of lips now to feel the skin.

“Oh God...” Sanji lets out a drowsy sigh, his grips on Zoro’s shirt tightening more, “Zoro …” he repeats again. He doesn’t usually use honorifics, and it always makes him feel so light to pronounce the other’s name so bare, but this, this actually takes the case. Is he already becoming someone special to him? The thought alone is doing weird things to him and making him feel faint, and he sees no other option now but to run away. Refuse this man’s kindness, comfort or whatever it is that he’s generously offering to him and keep away. “Stop” he orders, but it’s a soft whisper you’d think he’s only kidding himself, saying he’s going to run away. He’s almost tightening his hands more but this time, he’s pushing the other off, gently again, “you need to stop.”

Zoro is pulling away and looking almost like a kicked puppy, and Sanji doesn’t have the heart to keep staring at him. He rubs the side of his neck that’s been teased, and pretends he’s annoyed, “this makes it the third time you do this, mind explaining?”

“’a little something to get us back on good tracks?” Zoro shrugs slightly.

“And you couldn’t use words?” Sanji rebukes, “you know, alphabets, connected together to form meaningful words?”

“Obviously words don’t work with you.” Why is Zoro looking pleased?

“Unbelievable.” He rests his hands on his own hips as he talks more calmly now, “stored any good wine?” He asks, but Zoro is slowly narrowing his eyes in raw confusion and a bit of suspicion, like he doesn’t want to know if Sanji is going to poison anyone with it. The latter rolls his eyes, _again_. He can’t blame it on their stupidity forever, he knows, sometimes, his words are just ambiguous. “Do you have any wine? I’d like to get shitfaced.” The other nods but it’s barely there. “Good, bring it along once you’re done eating, I’ll be outside.” He gives a dispassionate wave over his shoulder as he walks past the other and goes outside to sit on the stairs at porch.

There's a crescent moon this night, he’s enjoying the stridulating buzz of crickets and the rustling of trees lined just a few yards away, teetering like a dark wave of a sea.

Some moments later, Zoro sits beside him with a soft groan and puts the bottle and the two glasses in the step in front of them. Both of them are soon enjoying the gentle breeze of this lovely night swiveling around them for company. Sanji appreciates the calm now, because unlike the calm of the night which turns to be bad news most of the time, this calm is safe and assuring, almost companionable.

 

It’s almost one in the morning when Zoro levers up and tells him not to stay up, and then he returns to his room. Sanji is being a genius today because he decides he’s not going to stay outside with all the creeps taking turns on making his life miserable. But a late shower isn’t going to hurt anyone, and there’s one particular side of his body –not his armpits– that’d really use some cold water, definitely not an idiom.

 

This is more than just a quickie, he’s doing a dry…run through. Bad pun aside, the guy is totally in the mood. Water keeps pouring down on him, on the wall and on the floor. It’s a fucking backstage for porno stars. He’s kneeling inside the tub, forehead on the damp wall. He’s tolling his cock between his hands, moving them up and down his shaft in a teasing stroke, and damn it he can’t do anything about his voice; his moans, they’re just growing louder. What if Zoro didn't stop, what if his lips touched more… Sanji knows he can’t be thinking of this, of Zoro like this, but it’s not like he can out flatly put a stop to it. It feels so good, and screw antics. He’s just going to rub his dick vigorously without a care for the world. “ _God_ …” he’s almost whining at how good it feels. Every muscle in him is tensing and every blood vein in him is beating in tandem with his heart as he finally releases his cum all over the wall with a loud moan bragging just how tremendously great his ejaculating session was. He collapses down into the tub’s rim, suddenly washed by consuming regret.

“I’m…” he folds his arms over his knees and hugs them to his chest, “straight up losing my mind, Law.” He brings his hand up to his head and cards his fingers through his wet hair. “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore, give me strength.” His tears fall without his consent.

He’s kept in for too long. He knows even men are allowed to cry when they feel they can’t keep their emotions in check anymore, so he allows it, “I miss you, Law, please.” He sobs into the nook of his arm, “Just guide me through.”

 

He doesn’t know how much time has passed, but he’s sure it’s somehow near two in the morning. The door to Zoro’s room has, yet again, been left open. Sanji walks in as if dragging heavy loads along, but that’s his guilt he’s dragging. He flops on his pillow with a grunt, eyes gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling. Now here he is, sleeping next to the same man he enjoyed getting off to just half an hour ago. He’s eying the sleeping face of Zoro. The trace of a crease on his forehead is just so darn adorable, and the fringes of his hair slightly reclining onto the pillow and the pair of red lips slightly opened… yes, the same man.

“I’m sorry.” He says about that, it sounds indignant, and he turns to his right side to sleep.

 Moments later and there’s a warm hand that lands soothingly on his hip.

“You’re still up?” He chuckles, but it gets out croaked and pained.

“Try to get some sleep.” Zoro advises, his hand wrapping more around Sanji’s waist and his body is pressing a little bit closer.

Sanji is amazed he doesn’t mind their close proximity, or the hand on his hip. He closes his eyes and falls asleep almost immediately, because under Zoro’s arm, it feels almost like the safest place in the world.

 


	9. Chapter 9

 

 

He rolls off the bed, slipping from the bundle of sheets and falling to the plank with a thud. He blames it on the sudden pounding on the front door, reverberating across the house like an earthquake. He erects up and looks around like a Hoopoe craning its neck to locate danger, though Sanji finds out there’s just him in the room, and judging by the intermittent silence between each episode of knocking, it must be just him in the house, too. He opens the front door expecting to see Zoro’s fiancée, _again_ ; he’d knock her off her feet if she stormed in again with high heels on. He’s happy to find Nami and Keimi instead at the threshold of the door, at nine freaking a.m. He is lost. Shouldn’t they be at school? “Shouldn’t you be at school?” Yeah, because it’s always better to ask out flatly. Besides, he already said piling stress is unhealthy.

The girls eye his watermelon green, off-shoulder sweatshirt and black knee-length sweatpants. His bed hair all ruffled and messy, but he’s still looking disgustingly dreamy. Nami makes a dramatic entrance after knocking her shoes off, bumps to Sanji when she walks in. Keimi throws him an excited grin and quickly follows after the other girl.

“’wonder if I’m already getting used to their attitude.” Sanji addresses himself as he closes the door, and then he walks up to the living room, eyes on the two girls sauntering towards the coffee table. “So, mind explaining what you guys are doing here instead of school?”

It’s fucking strange.

He had a slumber party in someone else’s house, slept in someone else’s bed and was now arching an authoritative brow at someone else’s sister or daughter. It became clearly strange suddenly that he should be finding faults, but he isn’t.

“Relax, it’s not rocket science. They just teach us same things from last year’s curriculum.” Keimi shrugs, sitting down beside the sofa.

“More elaborate though.” Nami adds as an afterthought. “We’re pretty smart. Our absence record isn’t going to affect anything.” She lives to her name as the boastful bragger. She’d win a blower contest if she wanted to, or if there is one because he doesn’t suppose there is.

Sanji nibbles at his bottom lip and nods, arms wrapping over his chest, “I see, but if it’s Zoro you want to see, then I’m afraid you’ve wasted a hike.”

“We came to see _you._ ” Keimi props her elbows over the table and smiles jovially at him, the kind of smile you make after you’ve caught someone lying through their teeth.

“Why can’t I buy it?” He narrows his eyes and nears their vicinity to sit on the sofa.

“Actually,” Nami starts, a hint of a denigrating hum in her voice, “We heard some news from the other guys this morning and we just wanted to see if it’s true.”

“News?” He echoes.

“Guess Usopp isn’t the imbecilic Devon I’d always thought he’d turn out to be hanging out with Frank and Luffy,” she sighs, “so Rona dropped by?”

“Ronoa Zoro’s fiancée” Keimi explains when Sanji mouths the same name.

“Oh,” he drawls in a disinterred tone of voice, “Yes, she did. I guess a couple of nights ago, but who told Usopp?”

“Long story.” Nami shrugs, “I don’t understand, why does she come over anyway, she knows nobody likes her.”

“She’s noisy, selfish and complains a lot.” Keimi is counting with her fingers; she still looks cute doing it with rutted brows.

“I hate how his family arranged this whole engagement deal.” Nami is being quite angry today, angrier than she usually gets anyway, “expanding their influence my ass.”

“Girls, she’s still Zoro’s fiancée.” Sanji smiles amiably, “and soon to-be wife, so maybe you just need to give her time and see how she thinks things through, get to know her better?”

“No thanks. I don’t want to have anything to do with her.” Nami huffs, “though that’s somehow impossible.”

Sanji is listening intently. The girls are finally opening up and who is he to tell them to suck it up when he’s asked for this all along. But he suddenly feels his left forearm acting up and getting slightly itchy, he scratches over the fabric of his sweatshirt while listening more to their talk, but it’s generally all complaints about how much they dislike Rona which he, deep down, didn’t ponder. He’s met her and, wow, first impressions do matter. “So I take it from your talk that she’s pretty much always pissed?”

“There’s always something or someone she has to pick on. You’re all happy and good-spirited until she takes her inconsiderate self and ruins it for you. She lives for that reason alone.” Nami has a lot of hatred in her this morning, might as well let her get it off her chest. “I don’t give a rat’s ass what his family is thinking, that girl annoys the hell out of me!”

Sanji really wants to mark the ending of this talk and switch to Keimi’s boyfriend –the dude could still be an asshole for all he knows, but he can’t bring himself to stop them. He relaxes on the couch and stares at the floor after biting firmly at the inside of his cheek, “despite what you guys have to say, it’s not like Zoro is complaining” –he’d have noticed otherwise– “if anything, he really cares for her.” He says, and he is reminded of the way Zoro picked his keys to drive her home at two in the morning. You don’t do that to someone you can’t stand. Okay, so maybe because she’s a girl, but Sanji has this kind of inkling that Zoro isn’t a charitable person in nature.

He can see them from his peripheral vision gawking at him, pairs of eyes scrutinizing him, but there’s something else invading his vision. He can see it from the corner of his eyes. He whips his head around so fast that the girls get startled, he guesses they can’t see what he’s seeing, but the Gumiho is standing behind the girls, _inside_ the house. Sanji hears some sort of noise like a whistle or a siren going off in his ears. He gives himself a second to think, paying no heed to his escalating pulse threatening to give him a heart attack. Alright, he wouldn’t ignore a heart attack, but, hello, there’s a gumi-frigging-ho(e) lounging at Ronoa’s accommodation. Wait a minute, it’s not like his hallucinations from before hurt him even after they proved to be real… _right_?

“What the hell!” Keimi screeches and quickly crouches in a defensive stance. Nami is also on her feet now and they’re both looking at what’s supposed to be a hallucination within the privacy of his own daytime terrors.

“You can see her too?” Sanji seethes as he also jerks up, legs shaking a bit and mouth running dry by the second.

“A gaunt, scary-looking lady in our living room” Nami says, “sure, why wouldn’t we see her?”

“This whole time?” he demands.

“What’ you mean this whole t–” Keimi cuts her own sentence off, a dreary realization downing on her. “Wait, so you mean to tell me you’ve been seeing this hag all this time?” She is looking pretty serious, which, considering his own impressions of her, is kind of highly unexpected.  

“Y-yeah,” Sanji can’t bring himself to take his eyes off the Gumiho who is wickedly smirking at them with a pair of malevolent eyes. He shivers.

“And you couldn’t, I don’t know, _mention_ it to us?” Nami is fidgeting, glancing up at him and back at the Gumiho.

“Yes, probably open with ‘hey guys, I’ve been seeing hallucinations for a while now, and one of them happens to be a goggle-eyed Gumiho so I was wondering if you guys know how to take one down' you mean something like that?” he scoffs, a little short of breath, “Aha, I’m sure that’d have gone down beautifully.”

“He has a point.” The Gumiho comments, voice sending that chill back from the café shop down Sanji’s spine. This cold bitch…

“I’m calling the cops.” He gushes, head shaking in disbelief.

“Call Mr. Ronoa!” Nami orders, firmly. “Call him instead, the cop is useless, they can’t kill a fox that’s lived for nearly 100 years.”

“And Zoro can?” Sanji snorts but he’s too shocked for it to be funny, “Wait, how do you even know stuff like that?”

The girls are looking hesitant, eyes darting back and forward.

“The dogs have kept a lot of things from you, vessel.” The Gumiho’s looking smug now, feigning a pout, which, lady, have you even looked at a mirror lately?

“Dogs, vessel?” he echoes in reproach, “What the hell are you talking about? I don’t have any pets.”

“This might knock your socks off, but you see, vessel” the Gumiho starts, showing a vague smile, “you have been associating with a pack of dogs–”

“Wolves.” Keimi and Nami berate in unison.

“’Doesn’t make much difference, really” The intruding entity sighs, “what matters to me now is you, vessel.” She points at him with her long, bony and downright scary index, “come.”

“This is the second time you call me vessel, my name’s Sanji!” He jaws, eyes surreptitiously looking around him in hopes to locate his phone. Dang he’d left it in the pocket of his pants the previous night, he only remembers now. And did he just yell at a life-like hallucination?

“What do you want from him?” Keimi bellows, forging ahead to stand in front of the only man in the room,

The Gumiho lets out a shrilling laugh, like one of those maniacal laughs you see a villain make when they’ve gone completely bonkers. But he wonders if she realizes it’s still nine in the morning, a bit early for this mad show. The other three wrinkle their nose in disgust, and when the Gumiho’s laugh starts to crescendo, she talks again. “Apparently, your dog nose is good at nothing.” She addresses the girls, a satisfied grin about her lips, “he’s been with you for a week and so, and you still have no idea what he is?”

The duo in front of Sanji exchange hasty glances with each other, and Nami turns toward the Gumiho again, “What do you mean ‘what he is’?”

“I have no intention whatsoever of sharing that piece of information with you,” she determines, “Unless, of course, the vessel wants me to.”

Nami dips her head in acquiescence for a moment, but soon she looks up, her eyebrows contorted, adamant. “In that case,” she starts, “Leave this territory immediately, and believe me, I’m not as generous as to give you a second warning.”

“You do not expect me to leave without the vessel, do you?” The Gumiho is sounding confused more than threatening, her eyes keen as if to say _‘are you stupid or what?’_ as she moves lightly forward and Keimi is crouching more to –Sanji has no idea what she’s about to do, really. He is reeling. “Without your Alpha, it is impossible for you to win over me, or are you going to coax me to lose?” She sounds amused for a second, “you know that is a fox’ specialty.”

“Aren’t you underestimating us too much?” Keimi asks, squinting her eyes, “we’re Betas, it’s not like your little threats will do the trick.”

“No,” the Gumiho admits, “but my wit can.”

Sanji and the two girls are in the process of calculating just what her words meant when a hand snaked on his neck, he’s so taken aback he doesn’t even notice his breathing has just hitched inside his throat. The other two spin around and there’s another Gumiho which looks exactly the same as their old fox friend, standing right behind Sanji with her _long, bony and downright scary_ hand on his neck. Not able to believe, the three look where the Gumiho’s been standing, throwing threats at them, but she’s not there.

“How’s that for a start?” She sneers, tightening her hand more on his throat.

“Seriously, personal space?” Sanji huffs and rolls his eyes. “In what reality are you if you think you can just stroll up my personal space to grope me? I’m so suing your ass for the sexual harassment!”

He’s worried about his personal space being invaded instead of worrying his brains out about the ice-cold, creepy hand on his neck? Wow.

“H-how…” Keimi gasps, she’s _impressed_?

Sweetheart, focus, The Gumiho is an enemy.

“Speed.” the Gumiho is in the mood to brag, this is what a person like the textbook definition of narcissism looks like? Someone’s just beat Nami in her game, damn. “Even Betas can’t compare to the speed of their Alpha, and because I am a Fox, it is only natural that I am faster. You can guess now why I said it is impossible without your Alpha, which is actually why I chose to make my appearance this morning.”

He’s being ignored, now how’s that for impudence.

“The two female Betas out of the pack and you decide it’s the perfect time to make a hit.” Keimi is nodding to herself for some reason, her lips pursed as if she’s fascinated.

Sweetheart, again, she’s an enemy.

“Foxes, Betas and Alphas.” Sanji lifts his lips in distaste. He’s finally had enough. “Just what are you guys talking about? And how come you can see her today? And by the way, you still haven’t answered my question, _Ms_. _Gumiho_ , why are you calling me vessel?” Great, he’s being sarcastic. It’s almost comical, except the situation is a little too dire to find anything about it funny.

“Do you wish to know?” She whispers in his ear, she must have missed on that part about sexual harassment, “About the constant pain in your arm and head, about the dogs, your dead friend, too?”

Sanji’s eyes go wide at that and glue on the duo in front of him, who are furrowing and knitting their eyebrows, ostensibly asking him to not be bewitched by her bribe. His eyes flit down quickly, apologetically. He’s unable to fight the urge to know everything. Someone –or in this case, something is offering him answers, that’s like finding cheat-sheets under his table, why would he turn them down?

“I’ll give you all the answers you want, vessel.” She offers, “in return, I want something.”

“What’ you want?” He asks hurriedly, he could’ve fucking said _just order and I’ll comply_ instead _._

“Don’t listen to her.” Keimi pleads, her eyebrows trembling. “Foxes are cunning, tricksters, and it’s not like she’s really going to give you any answers. She’s probably going to take what she wants from you and kill you when you’re of no use to her.”

“Then who will?” Sanji grits out, “I’m tired of trying my best to ignore these things when they keep constantly happening to me, and I really want to know about Law’s death, can you help with that?” He throws a hand to show just how exasperated he is, “She says she will give me answers, then why should I not listen to her?”

“How does knowing help with anything anyway?” Nami rebukes, “do you honestly think she’s doing this to help you?”

“Sanji.” Keimi is developing a deeper furrow across her forehead, “I have no idea why she keeps calling you vessel, but we also know a thing or two that you might be interested in knowing. Mr. Ronoa knows about Law, too.”

Sanji is standing stock-still as his heart freezes for a beat. He quickly swallows down the lump in his throat. “Lies” he concludes, “if he really did, he’d have told me what he knows the night I told him everything about my past with Law.”

“And tell you what, exactly?” Nami is not sounding any bit happier, “as far as I know, Law was involved in something bigger than he could handle, he ended up killed for it, and only Mr. Ronoa knows the details.”

The Gumiho scoffs loudly, “this useless talk is only wasting my time.” She announces, “and like you, I don’t feel like being generous today either, so I’m borrowing him for now.” She motions with slim fingers, and the girls flare up, about to jump at them but the Gumiho takes out a fan from somewhere –not anywhere Sanji wants to know– and waves it in the air, a strong wind rocks everything and numerous shining blades spurt out and launch back on the girls, penetrating every apparent part of their body. Sanji’s heart sinks at the sight of blood and before he can even call out their names, his vision goes completely dark.

 

His eyes twitch at the distant sounds and the whispers around him, his mind rewinds the sight of blood, the whines of pain the two girls let out as the metal blades cut through them. He’s praying it was all just a dream, and maybe he’s going to wake up, still in bed, in the comfort of his new home, while the sun shines through the blinds…

But none of it was a dream, he finally realizes.

He’s waking up to the tender breeze stroking his cheeks, his eyes land on the starless sky first after a battle with consciousness. The pain in his head goes ignored for now because there are a few urging matters now that need to be pondered. How he’s sprawled on dirt inside some forsaken old cowshed still in the same clothes from that morning, he can see the sky from a gap in the ceiling –which, by the way, looks like it’s going to crumble down at any moment, allowing the faint moonlight in. How it’s night all of a sudden. This could most likely mean he’d had a brown out at some point. He examines the location he’s been taken to and it’s nothing extravagantly luxurious. The unhinged doors moan ominously in the silence of the night, the shuddered windows, the paint peeling off, the worn-out walls, the creaking floorboards tell him just how deserted this house is. He tries to sit up but something is restraining him. He checks himself to be assured, but there’s really nothing restraining him, nothing tangible that is.

“It’s unlike the usual way of tying someone down.” A female’s voice resonates.

Sanji whirls around, he sees the silhouette of the Gumiho, still in the white dress, perching comfortably atop a couple of old crates. Her feet bare, and her jaw leaning on her palms. She's watching him with interest.

“What ‘you mean? Why did you bring me here?”

She looks harmless when she lets out a full-bodied sigh, “heavens!” she shakes her head and lifts herself up to walk towards him, who is slowly wiggling backward. “I cannot hurt you.”

His mouth drops open at the startling announcement, but he remembers that foxes are cunning, so nope, not going to buy it Ms. Gumiho. “So you’ve tied me down just so we’d play Monapoly inside this hair-raising, deserted garbage dump. Kinda makes a guy feel stupid, getting belittled like this?”

“I need to have both your arms tied.” She squats beside him, well worn dress fans on the dirt, Lord it needs one hell of a detergent to get rid of the stench. She eyes him for a second and then approaches the right side of his ear to whisper, “like I said, I am not here to hurt you, if that was really my intention I could have done so the first time your vessel was awakened, if anything, I am more in danger that I am with you.” She lets her left shoulder shrug slightly.

“Well” Sanji gulps, “there goes my self-esteem.”

A Kyoko look-alike has just booked him a lifetime of therapy, well done.

The Gumiho actually chuckles, and it’s friendly, he concludes. This is probably creepier than how usually her black hair whooshes around her while she lets off her malicious aura. But he genuinely likes it, “you actually have a pretty nice smile.” He admits but she averts his eyes and forces whatever traces of her smile away. “But seriously, this is too much to process” he presses his lips together, “just what is it that you want from me?”

“You are going to find out soon.” She practically chirps.

“Why” he starts, hesitantly at first, “why did you hurt Nami and Keimi?”

“Hurt?” she repeats, scoffing. “I barely scratched them.”

Sanji opens his mouth, ready to protest, but she cuts him off when she shoots up to her feet, “It is time” she announces, and her head lolls around towards the blond man, “today is a full moon, and since you are already up, I believe your little dog pets are already heading here.”

Sanji is silent.

The Gumiho talks too much, and it’s nothing that makes sense.

A strange, tingling sensation is starting to course up his tattooed arm, like a narcotic shot in the shoulder. He turns around to ask the Gumiho, she might hold the answers, but the lady’s busy murmuring nonsensical words with her arms stretched skyward, precisely towards the moon that’s now hanging low in the sky. You’d lose your mind watching a Gumiho probably formulating some sort of incantation for some evil purpose –of course it’s evil, she’s not exactly doing this for world peace, but Sanji doesn’t bat an eye. He’s busier with the strange feeling that’s surging up and down his arm and it’s making him whine faintly until all the angry veins in his neck jut.

“You look comfortable” A male’s voice comments.

The other two snap their heads around and Sanji doesn't deign to answer, he only watches as Usopp smirks impishly at him, walking in through the front door to stand behind Zoro, who’s rooted to the floor, dressed in black (obviously) and giving the Gumiho a perturbed look. Frank, Luffy and Keimi are standing at Zoro’s left, Usopp and Nami at his right. And would you look at that! The five of them are still wearing their school uniform.

“You guys decided on outside classes now?” Sanji is shaking his head on the scoff… hold on a damn second! “Nami, Keimi…” he rasps, almost in a mumble, “you guys are fine?”

“Fit as a fiddle.” Nami warbles, flipping her hair to the back. Yes, it’s never too late to still try and look all darn fabulous. “What you saw was just one of her illusions.”

“I see that it did not take you long to find him,” the Gumiho addresses Zoro, who is repaying her effort to initiate a conversation with silence. “My fox nose couldn’t detect it well, but he probably reeks of you. You did a wonderful job rubbing–” her sentence is interrupted by a thump, all eyes land on her, flabbergasted. They watch as Zoro hovers over her with his hand on her throat. He probably lifted her from her neck by his hand and slammed her against the ground like a sack of bricks. But how couldn’t Sanji see it when it happened?

“Awesome.” Frank exclaims, admiringly.

Keimi and Nami scurry toward Sanji, they try to undo whatever that’s tying him down but they’re puzzled to as how they can undo what they can’t even see.

“How did you guys find me?” He asks, hurriedly.

The other two girls are fumbling with his clothes, groping him despite the lawsuit case of sexual harassment he mentioned earlier, but he’s a little too preoccupied with what Zoro is planning to do to the Gumiho to tell them off.

“Long story, we’ll tell you everything later.” Keimi assures him, and he agrees.

“Easy now, Alpha.” The Gumiho darts her hands heavenwards in a placating gesture, “I promise it isn’t in my intention to hurt him.”

“That’s why you kidnapped him?” Zoro gives her a small shove, but it’s powerful enough to make her wince.

“It’s true, though.” Sanji croaks, knitting his brows. He’s aware of everyone’s eyes on him, but he’s kind of growing used to the attention. Then he adds, “She’d have hurt me before if she wanted to, there must be a reason why she’s brought me to this place today. Let’s give her the benefit of the doubt, see what she’s got planned.” He looks around at the blackness and primarily the eerie walls around them, “I just hope it wasn’t your definition of a date, because that’d suck.”

“You can let go now, Alpha.”

The green veins in Zoro’s hand and forearm jut up when he squeezes his hand more around her neck. He’s still undecided whether to let go or not when Sanji suddenly berates, “you’re hurting her!”

“She kidnapped you.” Usopp reminds him exactly why he’d hated her before.

“I know, but it’s not like I’m hurt or anything.” He turns his head towards Zoro now and adds in a much calmer voice, “I’m fine, really.”

Zoro lets go almost immediately and watches as the Gumiho slowly sits up.

“Did you have to go and play with the dogs of all the supernatural creatures out there?” she complains, addressing Sanji –who is still oblivious by the way, but it gains her several hostile scowls back.

“Undo his ties.” Keimi demands, fervently.

“Not until I get what I want.” She says, an insufferable smirk tainting her lips, “I’ve waited a hundred years for this moment and now that the vessel has awakened, I can finally use it to my purpose.”

Zoro’s eyes are flashing red, but this is not what really gets to Sanji, the way Zoro flicks his claws out does. Since when did Zoro grow claws under his nails?

The two girls hovering by Sanji protectively flash golden eyes. He looks around; the boys have golden eyes too. He hopes their eyes are just tasteless, fashion-unrelated lens. God this has got to be one of those sickeningly irritating hidden camera shows.

“I’ve already restrained his arms and the full moon is high in the sky,” the Gumiho reports, amused by the attention she’s getting while standing in the center, “Do you really think you can stop me?”

“I thought you said you didn’t want to hurt him.” Luffy reminds her.

“She didn’t.” Sanji assures, eyes flecking from the floor to Zoro, “She’s not going to either.”

“Don’t be so sure,” the Gumiho shakes her index threateningly, “they tried to warn you kid, we, foxes, are sly creatures.”

Sanji chews on his bottom lip for a moment as the others charge into battle stances. He bites down on the edges of his tongue at the reveal with regret. That’s when Nami dashes forward in a rush and the Gumiho’s head reels toward her, her hand coming up to stop her as the rest watches, taken by the brazen attack. Nami charges at the Gumiho when she pounces like a lioness does on its prey, and they both move their hands so quickly Sanji is hardly keeping up to root for her. He sees how she draws her claws out, opens her jaw and four fangs are starting to germinate, they look so sharp they’d cut through metal. Nami is using her claws exactly how a nocturnal skunk does to dig up food, but she’s using them a little more frantically as she grazes and scratches the Gumiho’s chest. Blood is soon rushing out, a total mess of scarlet. Sanji is cursing the day he was born if what he’s just witnessed is anyhow real, but there’s a clutch of pain around his body that he has no idea about its source. He drops and weeps with his forehead against the ground. Keimi is quickly on her knees, calling his name with a hand resting on his shoulder, “Are you OK, Sanji?”

“H-hurts...a lot.” he wheezes out, aware of how red his face must have become from forcing himself to not let out any cries of pain. His violet veins poke out across his neck and forehead, he’s sweating as if he’s just ended a marathon. He hears her calling Zoro, and next there’s a slamming sound, so he guesses that Nami is turning the tables on the creepy ghost –or is she a monster? Whatever is happening is not very much his concern right now because he’s definitely feeling something liquid seeping through his arms. His heart is beating so fast he’s barely making it out of his miserable state of being unable to breathe by gasping, but every pant he makes feels like a dagger piercing through his chest. Whatever that’s restraining him is turning up like a bad penny, figuratively speaking.

“You kill me, he dies.” The Gumiho suddenly announces. It’s actually more of a threat than an announcement of some customer appreciation sales; Sanji is too worn out to care.

Silence seeps in momentary and his pain is slowly being reduced when Nami stops attacking the Gumiho, who’s looking terribly pitiful now with all the gashes and the cuts over her chest. “I told you before” she adds, panting like a regular human does as she nears Sanji despite his agitated eyes, despite how Keimi is scowling at her. “I’ve restrained his arms, but it is nothing ordinary, nor is it an illusion. Those are actually magical cords which I made using my fox power.”

“That’s deep.” Sanji huffs with a bite of derogatoriness. “How do I take them off?”

“You can’t.” She replies curtly, with a slight shrug that Sanji does not fail to notice.

“Great.” He rolls his eyes, shoulders drooping in disappointment.

Everyone is speechless for a beat second, heady confusion tensing in the air, but Zoro is different. His countenance, his features are relaxed with a slight touch of boredom, too. “You know that I’m still going to kill you, right?”

All eyes land hastily on him as the bodies swivel around, questioning.

“Mr. Ronoa!” Keimi and Nami rampage, hands flailing.

“Works for me.” Usopp expresses as he nears the center of the hall, eyes profoundly entertained.

“Thank you, bastards.” Sanji gives an asymmetrical smile, “your douchbagness has doubled ten folds just now.”

Usopp returns the smile but it’s even more evil than the look in his eyes. Luffy and Frank finally decide to take part in the argument. “If we kill her it might kill _him._ ” Frank offers, and soon Luffy nods to his friend and adds, “we don’t know if she’s telling the truth or not, but by the scent he’s giving off, I can tell the magic is really hurting him.”

The Gumiho turns around to face the addressed man, and now, the moonlight is pouring on the two of them alone. “Alpha, why did you come here?”

Yeah, why, anyone else would have called the police and hoped for the best, but not Zoro, not his family. They came to his rescue. He doesn’t know how they made it here or what happened for him to end up in an abandoned barn –looks like a barn, unless he’s watched too many remakes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that it's now affecting his judgment. But they are here, for him.

“You trespass my territory, threaten my betas inside my house, kidnap a helpless human and now you’re using magic to keep him tied down.” Zoro purses his lips downward, “It’s not that hard to figure out.”

“Fair enough.” Sanji comments and he fleetingly receives a hit to his head for being stupid.

“You're such a moron.” Keimi chides, “if he kills her, you die.” She’s pointing at their direction.

Sanji stares back at her, moments fleeing without him saying anything in return, but he eventually looks around and addresses Zoro, “this whole thing is working on my nerves,” he does this slow twist of his lips and nose flare, and adds, “I don’t know how kidnapping me is going help you,” he swallows, addressing the Gumiho, “but I seriously have no idea how to turn you back to normal, that’s beyond my ability as a mere clerk at Zeff’s Antiques.”

“What’ you talking about?” Luffy asks for everyone else, even for the Gumiho who is looking stupefied.

“You said you’ve been waiting for a hundred years, today is a full moon night, and you were probably casting some sort of a spell just before you got interrupted.” He’s shrugging in between sentences. He can’t believe his own talk; he’s probably been cooped up with her longer than necessary. He is also trying to undo whatever that’s wrapped around the upper half of his body. “Foxes don’t go through that kind of trouble unless they’re involved in some deep shit,” that’s is, he'll humor her enough to buy him time “so I simply guessed as much, that you actually want to be human again, besides, I’ve read about it somewhere.”

Usopp snorts, but he stifles it in when the Gumiho doesn’t deny any of it. “Wait a sec, you mean what the clown’s just said is true?”

He’s already back to being a dick? Well, Sanji did say he missed that version of him. Good times.

The Gumiho’s legs give out and she collapses to the ground, face dazed. “When the fox spirit takes over, it does terrible things to people, it murders young boys and I hate it.” She hiccups, tears forming in her eyes. “I have only tonight to turn back or else I’m going to be stuck forever in the nine-tailed fox form and spend the rest of my life feeding off internal organs.”

All eyes are plastered on the Gumiho that they don’t notice how Sanji shuffles and indeed manages to release his arms, “oh for crap’s sake, that took forever.” He huffs and stands up, now all heads reel toward him as he dusts off his clothes. “I don’t get you people; you’ve got your heads far up your asses.” He’s flailing his hands as though bringing in a jet for landing, “sometimes, it’s enough if you just ask for whatever that is you want and people won’t hesitate to give it to you.”

“Are you high on something?” Usopp nods his head to the Gumiho now, “did she give you something nasty to smoke?”

The other rolls his eyes and ushers to the two girls to move out of his way, “I won’t do anything stupid, I promise.” He tells them when they refuse to move out of his way.

“It’s not you we’re worried about.” Nami explains.

But, thank God, they finally allow him to pass through. He walks up to the Gumiho who is still on the ground, gazing vacantly at some spot on the walls behind just where Zoro is standing beside her. “Ms. Gumiho?” he calls, acidly. “I’ve probably slept through the whole day and I’m kind of starving right now,” he crouches down to meet her teary eyes. He can see Zoro from the corner of his eyes, wrapping his arms over his broad chest. “Now, how about we get this over with so everyone can go home?”

“Aren’t you way too nonchalant about this?” Zoro bites out, annoyed.

“I’m trying to wrap things up as fast as I can, so technically I’m doing _you_ a favor.” Sanji points out, and receives a blistering glare for his trouble. He doesn’t roll his eyes, but he does flit his gaze from the other man’s. “I really want to help you get back to normal, human, whatever.” Sanji says, ending a lot less adamantly than he began. He's still really not sure how his life turned out this way, having this little chat with a Gumiho.

He’s too old to be having imaginary friends.

“But I probably can’t do that if you don’t tell me what I exactly have to do.” He wrinkles his nose in sympathy, “and seeing how you’ve brought me here and tied me down,” he looks at his wrists at this and sees the traces of a few drops of blood on his skin that emerged when he shuffled against whatever that’d been tying him down, “I bet it’s something to do with my body.”

“Blood,” she corrects, and repeats when he props an eyebrow upward, “it’s your blood that I need.”

“OK, great, you’d have said so from the start.” He claps, “so!” He breathes out, “want me to draw you a pentagram with my blood on the dirt so you can do your Mojo thing?”

“Are you mocking me?” She berates, eyes locking with his.

“I’m not.” He deadpans, “but your crap has bugged me since day one, if this could get rid of you then I’m gladly doing it, and it’d do the public good to ‘supposedly’ stop a Gumiho from going on a killing spree.”

Everyone is silent.

“Alpha,” She addresses Zoro now when she flings her gaze at him, “can you use your claws and make just a slight cut on his tattooed arm?”

“You dream big.” Zoro’s nostrils flare as he unfolds his arms.

“Just do it, Zoro.” Sanji lifts himself up and sighs, and soon grumbles “And don’t expect me to overlook this.” He makes a motion at Zoro’s claws with his own hand, “you and I are going to have a very long talk later, but right now, just make the damn cut.” He darts his tattooed hand forward for the other, who sighs and walks closer, brings his index which has a seemingly pointy claw, and draws a slight cut on Sanji’s forearm just as requested. Blood flowers out of the cut.

“Now what?” Luffy shrugs, hands slipping into his pockets.

The Gumiho rises up to her feet and Zoro erupts on his heels, alerted. The others, who were watching keenly, do the same.

“Since you were able to break my spell, I assume you are indeed the vessel.” She smiles to Sanji, who’s minutely glaring at her with pressed lips. “Give me your hand.”

The other does so and waits, the rest wait as well.

She begins murmuring those nonsensical words again while holding Sanji’s tattooed arm in her _long, bony and downright scary_ hands, a strike of wind howls uninvited and their hair flutter. Moments later, he’s feeling the same strange tingling sensation coursing up his arm, it makes him swallow. His eyes look around furtively at the others. He sees Keimi frowning cutely as she watches, Nami is clenching her fists beside either side of her thighs, Usopp is slowly sending his brows heavenwards and the duo Frank and Luffy are both keeping their hands warm inside their pockets. Zoro, however, is crossing his arms over his chest again, momentarily shifts, thumbing his bottom lip nervously. Sanji smirks openly to himself but apparently Zoro sees it.

“If you turn into some tufted deer, I’m killing you on the spot.” Zoro threatens, and his facial expression serious.

“That’s mean.” Sanji wrinkles his nose and pouts, “If I turn into something, then it’s got to be a cute Dumbo octopus,” he’s grinning but everyone, including the Gumiho, roll their eyes, “W-what? Dumbos are too darn cute–” he pauses when the Gumiho leans in and sucks the blood coming from the cut on his arm, “w-what…” he blushes, “Whoa, OK, I get that I’m quite the catch, but sorry, pancake, you’re not my type.”

She pulls away and smirks with lips framed with blood, “I won’t go for you even if I was, and you’re already taken.”

Sanji is narrowing his eyes in confusion, attempting to fathom the meaning, when suddenly, a strong gust of wind whooshes. The moon shines more on the Gumiho after she pushes Sanji away, but gently. Her hair and dress are fluttering and dancing around her. Sanji’s mouth falls open and Keimi mirrors it as they all watch, dazed. A bolt of lightning hits her and she lets out a loud shriek, the bright bolt of lightning almost shades everything and forces eyes into the nook of elbows. When everything calms down, abating to a distant current of air, Sanji peeks around and sees the Gumiho on the ground with smoke coming out of her, literally. “Is she dead?”

“We need to get out of here.” Usopp notifies, worriedly, his eyes scanning the plaster falling down from the ceiling

“We can’t just leave her!” Sanji objects, his legs already on motion to dash toward the body. But a hand holds his arm to stop him, he whips around angrily but soon his anger fades, “Kei? What’ you doing?”

“You get out, leave her to us,” she offers, they both get interrupted by large, wooden pieces falling from the joists above, “get out now!” she demands, voice rising to a roar.

Sanji isn’t going to run off and let a teenage girl inside a crumbling house save another woman. He’s a scaredy cat, on occasions, screams like a girl if startled, but not a coward. “Sorry Kei, but spoiling me today is off-market.” He pushes her towards the front door and hurries to the body of the Gumiho, except she’s not there. He looks around skeptically, did she survive after all? Did he miss something? Oh yes, Zoro walking towards him, carrying the Gumiho in his arms like a princess while the falling pieces dodge them, and it all looks like some clichéd scene from some fairy tale adopted into a drama. It’s vexing, alright!

Everyone gets out in time and they watch as the entire building crumbles down. Sanji and Keimi breathe out a sigh of relief, “that was some high voltage rundown show.” He comments, hands leaning on his hips.

“Unfortunately, she’s still alive.” Luffy groans.

“Did the whole ritual thing go right? Is she human now?” Sanji asks, his eyes locked with Zoro’s.

“I can hear sirens,” Zoro notes out.

What, from this far?

“For now, let’s go back home.” The man recommends, already turning around towards the direction of his house, torched Gumiho in his arms.

The others follow obediently but only Sanji follows with a few complains of his own that he’s ready to lay out now that the adrenaline has worn off. “Is that it? I was kidnapped and bled to death for a little firework show?”

“You didn’t bleed to death, otherwise you’d be dead” Usopp replies, lazily. “That’s why it’s called bleeding to death”

“Asshole, I won’t forget how you wanted me dead meat –no, bag that, how you actually wanted him to kill her, which means killing _me._ ”

Luffy shakes his head disappointingly at their tireless banter and hurries a little forward to wrap his arm around Nami’s neck, who, in return, links her arm around his back.

The walk back home is accompanied by no more noise but silence, and everyone scatters inside the house like a pack of lost lambs once the front door opens, as though it’s a habitual thing to come back home after coming across a mythical creature that has undergone a billion volt of electricity.

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Star Guest:
> 
> Nico Robin as Robin Nic

 

 

“I’m going to dampen a cloth or something for her head, make sure she’s comfortable on the couch.” Sanji instructs and quickly turns wheels to walk in to the kitchen. Doesn’t take him long before he is back with a bottle of water and a dishcloth, glancing up at the rest of them, he chuckles at the way they –sans Zoro– surround the sleeping Gumiho as if she’s a UFO that’s fallen down the sky. “Out of my way” He’s done placing the towel over her forehead so he sits down cross-legged like a stern parent ready to lecture his five-year-old, his eyes scanning the faces belonging to the teenagers sitting on the floor and facing him. “Let’s start with you” –he addresses Keimi– “you said you knew a thing or two, well, here’s your time to shine.” Keimi wets her lips and sends Nami a fervent glance; he interprets it as a cry for help so he tries to simplify things for her, “tell me only what I need to know.”

“How about you start with the wounds he’s supposed to have on his arm.” The Gumiho mumbles in her recumbence, but it’s audible. She sits up and cracks the fatigue in her neck –the kind of fatigue that comes after getting hit by a bolt of _lightning_.

Sanji switches from her to check the said wounds but there are none. Still skeptical, he looks through the holes in his bloody shirt, still unable to believe the wound isn't there. He takes the shirt completely off, and huffs, "unbelievable!"

"What?" Usopp asks, disbelievingly.

"It healed! How awesome is that!" Sanji grins and feels his shoulders gingerly.

“That’s weird, humans aren’t supposed to heal on their own, what is he?” Nami addresses the Gumiho.

“Hey, that sounded racist just now” –Sanji furrows but quickly goes back to grinning to himself when he sees the wounds are _really_ not there.

“Aren’t you way too calm about this?” Luffy props his shoulders up and lets them stiff near his ears for a while.

"What," Sanji sneers, "expected me to cry and slap myself on the chest?" He chuckles.

"Actually, yeah." Keimi chuckles back, "I kind of expected you to lose it, which would be the only reasonable thing to do than this, and we haven’t even told you the worst part yet." She motions at his direction.

He grabs his shirt and forces himself to sit up properly, "believe it or not" –he wears the shirt– "'reasonable' kind of goes outta the window when you see a Gumiho walk through one billion volts of electricity, or when you see Zoro and a bunch of teenage kids flicking claws out and flashing yellow eyes.”

That breaks the tension somehow and everyone is symbiotically laughing, but the laughs echo and eventually vanish when Zoro walk down the stairs and sits down on the couch beside the blushing Gumiho.

“So what’s the worst part?” Sanji addresses Keimi again.

“There are actually other creatures, supernatural creatures that exist,” she starts, “for example, this one here is a hundred year old Gumiho.”

“Used to be.” the used-to-be Gumiho corrects.

“Right, it still doesn’t change the fact that whenever I look at you, it gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

“’And what about you?” Sanji cuts to the chase, “why do you have claws, fangs and yellow eyes?”

“I’m sure you’ve watched many movies about vampires, I mean they made so many, well I can’t say they’re accurate, and most of them are pretty crappy really–”

“So you guys are vampires?” He concludes, eyes not daring to glance up at Zoro who’s eying him with such piercing attention; Sanji can see him from the corner of his eyes.

“What, No!” Frank jaws, ticked off.

“We’re werewolves.” Zoro ends the game of guess-what-I-am with a bored expression.

Sanji is slowly raising his gaze to look at the other man who’s looking directly at him. It feels as though there’s something pulling him against his will, as though Zoro’s eyes hold knowledge to every query he might have if he’d just let himself be drown. It’s somehow pleasantly embarrassing, but at the same time unnerving. “Werewolves?” he echoes, “as in you turning into a walking fur ball with fangs and claws?”

“Why is everything a joke to you?” Luffy reproves, shaking his head frustratingly.

“I beg you a pardon?” Sanji squints his eyes, accusingly, “You’re basically telling me that a bunch of teenagers are actually werewolves in disguise? OK, I’ve come to terms with myself and admitted that the Gumiho is actually just a ghost lead astray and needs to be guided to the light. Follow the light, Ms. Gumiho, chop-chop.” He shooed with a hand and added, “Supernatural my ass.”

Usopp’s nose flares and he’s soon on his feet, his eyes land on Sanji’s as the latter wait for what he’s prepared to perform. Usopp lolls his head and he’s soon developing a bulge between his brows as the latter vanish, fangs emerge inside his mouth. He jolts his hands and claws spring up, his eyes a beautiful shade of yellow. “Satisfied?” Usopp jeers from the side.

 Sanji is apparently stunned, if only literally. "Your upswept locks look so" –he eyes the other's form from head to toe– "ugly."

"Not as much as the look you have on your face." Usopp fires back.

“And all of you look like him when you’re, y’know, wolfed-out?” It still sounds foreign on his tongue.

“Mostly, but Mr. Ronoa has red eyes since he’s the Alpha.” Keimi nods her head toward the said man.

“I heard the creepy ghost over there–”

“Gumiho.” She corrects with a small rumble.

“Wait, I thought you said you’re a human now.” Sanji points a finger at her, eyes narrowing.

“Used-to-be.” she reminds and Sanji doesn’t even bother to question her logic anymore.

“Anyways, she called him Alpha a couple of times, what does it mean?”

“You see, since we’re werewolves, there’s an elaborate hierarchy in our pack. Mr. Ronoa is the leader, which means he’s the Alpha, we’re the Betas in the pack.”

“But I don’t understand, you guys said you weren’t blood related, and what I know about wolves is that their pack is made of members related to each other by blood or family ties.”

“Incorrect, in the case of werewolves, one can become pack if they’re either given the bite or born from werewolf parents.” Nami explains more.

“Which are you?” He addresses Keimi now.

“We were all given the bite by the Alpha,” she answers, “Of course it was a choice we made by our own free will.”

Sanji sighs and bites down his lips, there’s a slight ache building up in his head and he feels tired of it. “So” he says a little louder and stretches the last vowel –you only do that when you're about to bring up something either embarrassing or inappropriate. "Werewolves, huh, got any superpowers or anything remotely similar?"

“Duh!” Nami charges the batteries of her bragging machine.

"We're werewolves, we have ridiculous powers." Keimi gushes with a grin lining her small lips.

"We have speed." Frank explains,

"We have healing and pain draining powers." Luffy adds.

"Our hearing and smelling senses are heightened; we can hear heartbeats and tell a lie for truth. We can smell all the chemical signals that humans produce, emotions or feelings like disgust, anger or arousal..." Usopp provides now with a deep smirk which rings some bells for Sanji.

“You can smell what?”

“Every time you’re angry, happy or sad, we know.” Usopp clarifies, counting with his fingers and then dropping his hand over his lap. “Even your arousal scent is registered now because dude, last night was a lot.”

Sanji’s face is soon being covered with a wave of red. Even his heart is revving so fast he’s barely hearing anything beyond.

“Hearing another man moan inside a shower was never my dream.” Luffy groans, sorry for himself, and he’s rather surprised to hear Zoro chuckle.

“You must be joking,” Nami points out, "that sultry moan was the sexiest thing I've ever heard in my entire life." She spurts out of the blue, and Keimi grins like an idiot and gives Sanji a thumbs-up sign.

"Oh. My. God" Sanji props his elbows over the coffee table, cups his cheeks to hide the blush that's starting to spread on his face and down to his neck, "why do I feel so violated all of a sudden?"

"We heard it, buddy." Usopp sing-songs, "Loud and clear"

"Will you knock it off already?" He rebukes behind his palms, "my privacy's been invaded, that's like walking down the town's roads, _naked_ , with a sign that reads 'Available at Zeff’s, that's like –oh my God" he breathes out calmly now while shaking his head, as if he’s in denial.

"It was sexy, with such splendid virility." Nami reassures, like he didn't hear her clear the first time. Do they live to tease the dear life out of him? "And the scent of arousal is still slowly wearing off, too."

"You mean you still smell the damn thing?" He’s looking at her now with his nose wrinkled.

"It's faint though," she shrugs, "but earlier, I mean when we came early this morning? _Whew_." her eyes widen. "I wonder who you were jerking off to."

"Are you seriously asking a dude about the kind of things he jerks off to?" He finally flails his hands, disbelievingly, and somehow confused.

"Well, the guys here don't use the house for that, they use theirs, so it's not like I always get to hear those v–"

" _Stop._ " Sanji shakes his head dramatically as he holds a hand up, "I'm not having this kind of conversation with a high school teenage girl, and I don't even want to hear the rest of your sentence either." He shakes his head, “Jesus!”

“So are we done with all the werewolf-y talk?” the used-to-be Gumiho asks, impatiently, “because there are definitely more pressing things to talk about.”

“Like how you aren’t packing your things and leaving my territory?” Zoro gives her a lethal glare that manages to silence her for a minute.

“Actually, if I know any more than this something tormenting to my self-esteem is bound to happen.” Sanji comments when he’s done wetting his lips, “and I still have many questions about this, it’s not like we’re done here.”

“Sanji, you aren’t compelled to know everything by now. We can tell you the rest later.” Usopp, who usually pours scorn on him, is kindly smiling at him to convince him and it does wonders when Sanji nods agreeing.

He tries to stealthily look at Zoro, but finds the man already looking at him, their eyes are locked on each other for a little but then Sanji drums his fingers over his other palm, “I’m…” he starts, momentary scratching behind his right ear, “Zoro?”

The other man does not reply, only leans with his elbow on the armrest.

“I’d like to have a few words with you.” Sanji requested.

“Later.” Zoro says, curtly.

“Bastard, I’m this close to kicking your furry balls because I’m so pissed right now you don’t even know.” He vents out, angrily. “And yes, I’m just getting started with the dog jokes, so wait for the punch line.” Blowing his stack during a bizarre talk wasn’t highly expected, but he’s just learned that six of them are actually werewolves, and the other is –was a Gumiho, and they’re telling him there are other creatures as well. Of course he’s known about the _strange_ things happening in town, but not even once did he relate them to the Ronoa family – _pack_ , excuse him.

Speaking of strange, now that the Gumiho is no longer a Gumiho, shouldn’t it be safe outside?

There shouldn’t be any more creeps outside, she was the one controversially rubbing it how much of a spineless little shit he is, though he can’t disagree, but he does think there’s no more need to stay in this house.

“What are you worried about?” Usopp breaks the silence.

Sanji’s eyes tremble as he looks up and he shrugs when he sees their eyes on him, “I’m not worried.”

“That's a lie.” Nami declares, “We’ve just told you we have super hearing powers, that slight lurch of your heartbeat gave you away.”

“Can you really hear my heartbeats? –wait a minute, do I smell worried?”

“It appears you haven’t been listening at all. The six of us can smell anything you feel, we know when you tell the truth or lie, but the five betas here, we are bad at masking our scenting skills, unlike our Alpha. Basically we’re still training for that.” Keimi admits, eyes slowly looking down.

His eyes tremble more as he goes back with his memory to the first day he met them, how they’d talked about his smell. They must have heard his little chit-chats with their Alpha. And the day he gave him and Keimi a ride, he must have heard their conversation; _of course_ , it wasn’t a coincidence how he knew exactly what they were talking about. When Frank said ‘you smell’ but soon corrected himself and the same thing happened again with most of them. How they’d blunder but quickly correct themselves, and that night when he thought he wasn’t welcomed home but Zoro proved him otherwise, and he even thought ‘if happiness had a smell, I’d be reeking by now’ so Zoro must have smelled it. And when they played that game the other night, the kids knew instantly who’d lied and who hadn’t; _Oh my God!_ They must have smelled how aroused he’d been whenever Zoro was around.

Suddenly, he wants to dig up a hole and shove his head in it, no one’s ever suffered this humiliation!

“I should get going.” He finally announces, eyes never leaving the floor.

“What? Why?” Luffy gushes, confused.

“It’s dark outside, perfect for night creatures to come out.” Usopp teases, but it comes out as a warning; the brat can’t be worried for Sanji, can he?

“Sanji,” Keimi calls, voice a rasp, “you don’t like us anymore, do you?”

Sanji’s heart plops down to his stomach and he quickly regrets his decision, “No, it’s not like that!”

“But now that you know the truth, you don’t want to associate yourself with us anymore.” Luffy coils into himself as his eyes flicker.

Sanji opens his mouth to say something but he realizes he has no right to, it looks exactly as they said; he’s just running away. His eyes look down again, fidgety fingers nervously drumming over each other.

“It’s getting late, you guys should go back home.” Zoro speaks with his deep, velvety voice, and it does weird things to Sanji’s stomach that’s still healing from an earlier jolt. “You, stop causing us more trouble than it’s worth, wait until tomorrow then leave” which makes Sanji feel like the one being lectured “and you” –he addresses the Gumiho– “better pack your things and leave my territory, I’m giving you until tomorrow.”

“I’m not leaving anywhere as long as the vessel is active.” She shakes her head no.

“You’re the least welcomed here, everything about you is trouble.” Nami sighs.

“You even kidnapped and tied down a human for your own selfish purpose.” Keimi wrinkles her nose, as if detesting what the other woman had done, not that Sanji is complaining.

“If I didn’t and let his arms loose, not just me, but all of us would have been in a great danger.” She informs them, eyes determined. This gains her inquisitive stares instead, and she lifts herself up. “I guess only creatures with magic can see it, but” –she addresses Sanji now– “what do you know about your tattoo?”

“Nothing special, I’ve had it on my arm since forever.” He shrugs slightly, “why, what’s your point?”

“You may not believe it but the tattoo is magical.” She says, “Apparently, the magic is locked around the area of his forearms only, and the tattoo is like a key that keeps this magic sealed.”

Everyone seems to do a mental double-take at that. Eyes are furtively casting glances at Sanji, wondering.

Sanji’s lips twitch in a snort. “Come again?”

“You’ve been calling him vessel all this time; I’d definitely like some explanation.” Keimi informs, repositioning herself for the story.

“You know how many creatures out there live for a long time until their bodies weaken, in my case I was born human before I got possessed by the Gumiho. My name’s Robin Nic by the way. I’m not really considered a vessel because what possessed me was the soul of the Gumiho, and thanks to Sanji’s power, I was able to beat the real Gumiho and get my human form back.” She sighs at the memory, “my point is, Sanji is different, and the reason why I call him vessel is, first, a habit because it was the Gumiho who used to calling him that, not me. And second, because his body is actually a vessel.”

“Explain.” Zoro orders, elbows propping on his knees as he intertwines his fingers together.

“Vessels like Sanji are born, not created. My best guess is that some rituals were performed by his parents, months before he was born.”

“ _My_ parents?” Sanji gives another disdainful snort.

“Yes, because the creature’s power embodied inside you can’t be forcibly summoned by necromancy, basically, like I said, it’s not a spirit. The vessel that’s going to host its power has to do it with their own free will, so I’m theorizing that your parents were the ones who performed the rituals.” She pauses and quickly adds when she notices all ears listening to her, “what lies sealed inside your tattoo is actually an Imugi.”

“Imugi, as in dragons and folklore tales stuff?” Usopp props up, interested.

“Apparently, it’s not a tale anymore, and the Imugi is actually a premature dragon. In order for the Imugi to transform into a full-fledged dragon it has to undergo some training for a thousand years.”

“A thousand years!” The rest, sans Sanji and Zoro, exclaim, and Robin nods. “But Sanji ‘s case is a little bit different. The Imugi’s been sealed before Sanji was even born, but for whatever reason, the seal was activated. It’s how the Gumiho was able to sniff him and probably other creatures will smell it soon and get attracted to where he is.”

“That’s why you used his blood?” Luffy asks, his thumb pointing at Sanji.

“Yes.” Robin nods, “he didn’t smell human at first, the Imugi’s power is running in his blood and it attracted me somehow, but that’s not really what you need to worry about.”

“What” Sanji heckles derisively, “I just turned into Naruto and you’re telling me that other creatures might come after me as well. I guess that’s pretty worrisome, thank you very much.”

“Not all creatures, the Alpha and his pack did not harm you, did they?” She urges, and without waiting for his answer, she adds, “though I bet they were attracted to the smell of the power surging in your bloodstream but they aren’t hostile. Other creatures who are looking for a vessel might be, so you’re absolutely not allowed anywhere without one of us accompanying you.”

Sanji looks errantly at the windows, now he is probably expected to shout hysterically at someone, or something, that coffee table might buy the farm, but, very slowly, he turns his head to look at Robin, plump lips parted into a smile. “I bet everyone’s tired by now, why don’t you guys stay here, and tomorrow, let’s celebrate her coming back to normal.”

Robin smiles tentatively at him,

“You must be joking.” Nami shuffles and sits up, “she’s not allowed in here.”

“Is it up to you to make that decision?” Luffy asks acidly, brows furrowed.

“You evil couple, just give her a break, she’s had it tough.” Sanji sighs, swats a carefree hand before his face, “she doesn’t have a house, let alone a place to stay.”

Suddenly, there are arms wrapping around Sanji’s middle and he makes a low-pitched gasp, “Sanji,” Robin’s voice is small, “I’m sorry, I really am. I didn’t mean to hurt you before but after being possessed for nearly a hundred years it was becoming difficult to control her.” she sobs now, “I can’t believe how kind you are, after all the things I’ve made you go through.”

Sanji’s lips break into another fascinatingly warm smile and he brings a hand to ruffle her hair, the demeanor gentle like a mother’s.

The rest seems to sympathize with her story and they soon agree that she stays, but only temporary; and none votes against, because not just her, even Sanji has to leave that house whether he likes it or not.

 

He goes into the kitchen with a much eased mind to make a fancy dinner to welcome the new guest, and the latter is taken to the bathroom by Nami and Keimi. Soon, they all gather and surround the coffee table, Sanji gets out of the kitchen at last with the last side dish in his hand when he and the rest of the pack look up at the stairs, Nami and Keimi are leading the other one down and the boys finally see the transformation of Robin: her high bobbed, short haircut, the moustache printed pajamas and dotted lounge shorts.

Robin looks shyly at the boys and bows slightly when they near the table, “Nami cut my hair and Keimi gave me her pajamas.”

“You look cute.” Sanji compliments with a genuine smile.

“She’s finally a complete human.” Nami announces, flicking her hair to the back, proudly.

“You look so cute, honest!” Frank shouts and it makes the girl shy even more as she bows her head slightly to thank him.

Zoro nods his head and she smiles in return, but Usopp is looking at the table, bashfully. Robin sits beside him and he only blushes brightly that airplanes could use him for landing, the rest of the pack is teasing him about it and are obviously enjoying it. Sanji joins Zoro on the couch when everyone sits down, and they eat in a much calmer atmosphere now. Robin is telling them about her life before being possessed by the Gumiho, and everyone is listening and commenting when they feel it’s only right to, but Sanji’s phone decides to interrupt from somewhere; the absolute wrong timing. He excuses himself and fetches the device, and he isn’t the least surprised to see that the caller is Tsuru, his prying neighbor. He only connect the call when he’s completely outside.

“Sanji,” a burst of happy coos, “how are you!”

“It’s been a while, how’ve you been?” Sanji leans on the deck railing, eyes roaming aimlessly over the silhouettes of pine trees.

“I’ve been good, and I’m even happier to hear from you and from Law, too.”

Sanji’s heart skips a beat and he readies himself for the inevitable. Also, he’s making a mental note to ask Zoro later what he knows about his dead friend. “From law…?”

“Yes, he called me last night,” she gushes, “told me he missed you.”

She continues to talk more about the things Law told her, and Sanji listens patiently and even chuckles when she does, though it’s nothing funny. Sanji thinks that since Tsuru is imagining that Law called, which is impossible because Sanji was there when Law was laid inside the morgue with a bloody gush across his chest, she must be going into the apex of the Alzheimer. He doesn’t know for how many minutes more she talks before she finally bids him goodnight. He’s scrolling down his messages while walking back inside when he suddenly picks Robin’s voice, and it doesn’t require him super hearing powers to grasp the words he’s managed to catch up on, “…And the Imugi’s power might transform and break free, so he has to get rid of the seal, aka the tattoo.”

He comes in, feigning unawareness, “I’m taking a shower.” He tells them, a hand on the banister.

“Don’t jerk off.” Usopp shouts, “The smell takes a while to completely wear off and I’m going next.”

Sanji widens his deer eyes at the other threateningly, but slowly ends up shying when he sees the back of Zoro’s head. Somehow, he’s thankful he never called out his name whenever he ejaculated, because that’d have ended like an awkward disaster by now. When he finally comes down, he sees Robin sleeping on the couch. He guesses all the maiming and mangling she’s been forced to do has caught up to her, culprits sleep in interrogation rooms after the truth leaks out. Frank and Luffy are watching the TV, Nami is reading some book and Keimi yawns as she nears the stairs, “I’m going to my room to sleep, good night Sanji” She says, lazily, and she stomps over the stairs. Sanji asks the two boys what they are watching because it looks interesting but he doesn’t linger there to find out, and the two look too absorbed to give him an answer, “just don’t stay up, you know it’s a school night.” He warns them just like how a parent would and saunters towards the front door.

As soon as he opens it, there’s a gentle breeze welcoming him. He sees that Zoro is sitting, relaxed, his knees leisurely swinging right and left. Sanji nears the spot and sits down beside the other man, and he’s surprised and happy to see that Zoro’s already got two glasses ready and the wine bottle is still full. It sounds wrong to thank him for waiting, so he only nods avowedly and turns to open the bottle.

Each is drinking from his own glass, their eyes enjoying the sight of the full moon in the sky.

“You look like you’re taking it well,” Zoro suddenly cuts the silence, “you OK there?”

“Ha,” Sanji yelps and it comes out like a croaked cry, “I’m perfectly fine! Thanks for asking.”

“We couldn’t have told you, there was just no way to tell you. And I was confident we wouldn’t have anything to do with you if we bore with you for one day, but that changed, and then you’d always find a way to come back here. As the days went on, I knew it was only a matter of time before you found out everything.”

“I don’t impugn your judgments in making decisions, but you lied to me about Law.” Sanji looks down. He has no idea what kind of expressions is coating his face but there’s a voice in him that points out the fact that’s the most he’s heard Zoro say since crossing paths with him.

“You didn’t even doubt I knew him, so technically, I didn’t lie.”

“So basically, it’s like your rocket of spilling answers won’t launch until your ass is on enough fire, and I’m not a fan of being technical by the way, now start talking.”

Zoro says nothing in reply, and Sanji has to turn around and make sure the man hasn’t fallen asleep or anything because he’s taking too long, and he wants his damn answers. But Zoro is looking at him in something akin to concern for a beat longer.

“What’s wrong?”

“Law’s story will unfold eventually,” he says, “but there’s something I’m actually worried about.” He deadpans, inexpressively.

This guy’s worried about something? Zoro doesn’t do worry.

“What?” Sanji enjoins, almost in a whisper, afraid that if he adds even one more word, the other would spring up to his feet, refusing to tell him. His eyes are quivering curiously, anticipating the answer.

Zoro shakes his head and rises up to full length, “I’m going inside, don’t stay up.” He quickly wiggles his way out of the questions and goes back inside.

Sanji’s jaw drops and he stares blankly at the front door as it creaks closed. Now, he has all the time in the world to replay the events of the day, the _strange_ things he’d heard about them being werewolves, about him being a vessel.

There’s an Imugi sealed inside his tattoo. Is there really an Imugi sealed inside his tattoo?

What did Robin mean when she said more creatures are going to be attracted by the smell of his blood?

_That’s absurd!_

Attracted by the scent of his blood…

_That’s just absurd!_

Zoro was worried about something. By any chance, could it be he was worried about this, too? OK, scratch that, because it wouldn’t happen even in his dreams. Zoro is a supernatural creature, the scowliest one, but definitely the least hostile one out there. And he wasn’t attracted to the scent of Sanji’s blood, he couldn’t.

_He couldn’t, could he?_

Hold on a second, so every time Zoro was comforting him by nuzzling his neck, was it actually just him being attracted to the scent of Sanji’s blood?

_Is that what he’s worried about?_

The ache in Sanji’s heart grows frantic by the second, and slowly, he finds himself frowning, “Damn.” He hugs his knees to his chest and props his jaw on them, “damn it.”


	11. Chapter 11

 

 

His eyes trail up to the surface of the drawer, trying to locate the clock which has been turned slightly toward the windows making it a little difficult for him to see from his angle. Sanji props up on his right elbow on the pillow, his other hand rubbing his eye, and he doesn’t have the heart to curse the sun for waking him a little earlier than usual. He rubs his eyes more when a yawn tags along uninvited.

“Sanji!” a voice nears the room, a female’s, shouting with earnest exuberance.

Said male snaps his head toward the door, and when it flies open vigorously, he jolts upright. Robin and Keimi, still in their pajamas, gape at him.

“S-sorry, we’ll tell you when you’re downstairs.” Robin lets him know with a blush flourishing across her cheeks

“Yeah.” Keimi nods, fervently. “It’s not anything serious anyway.” She gives him an awkward grin as she closes the door firmly after nudging Robin and herself outside the room.

Sanji is left in a daze, did that just happen? And he’s in the process of scratching the skin behind his ear when he realizes something that might actually answer the hasty and awkward glances the two girls exchanged before vanishing. There’s a heavy, bulky arm wrapped around his waist; Zoro’s arm.

Zoro’s obviously sleeping like a log again, his eyes fluttering under his lids at the slightest movements and his fingers intermittently twitching to the slightest sounds. All that can be ignored, Sanji can ignore all of it, but it’s a shirtless Zoro that he can’t forgive! The girls must have thought –they must have made the wrong assumption! Well, Sanji isn’t uncomfortable with that hand whatsoever, so he doesn’t really need or have to remove it seeing how it’s wrapped securely around him in a more of a protective manner, but if the girls misunderstand what’s going on here then it’s going to turn out bad later; one way or another, it always does.

Sanji shakes his head in a failed attempt to shake the thoughts away.

He takes in Zoro’s peaceful face, his own hand hesitating whether to rest on the one around his waist or not. He wants to do it, stroke the skin until Zoro is more comfortable, or embarrassed. He wants to know what his reaction would be. Sanji is eying the man’s features in a matter filled with some unfathomable yearning, and then it hits him, like an unstoppable train, the realization hits him so hard. He has magic running through his veins that supernatural creatures are attracted to, creatures like werewolves, like Zoro…

This realization pushes him to finally remove Zoro’s hand and rest it back next to its owner, he leaves the bed and also leaves the room after he’s done setting the alarm at 8. Downstairs, he finds all of them circling Robin, and all of them, sans Usopp, look excited about something that quickly makes even Sanji interested, too. “What’s going on?” he asks.

All heads swivel around, and Keimi is the loudest of them all. “Sanji, it looks like Robin hasn’t completely lost all the Gumiho’s power!”

Sanji’s brows knit confusedly as he nears said female, “don’t tell me I have to get kidnapped and bleed to death again.”

Usopp rolls his eyes and sighs; he even went out of his way to explain what bleeding to death would mean but this moron is incorrigible. “No, it seems what she has is just like the aftereffect of the Gumiho’s real powers.”

“Like how you magnetize things?” Sanji asks and receives an affirmative to his theory. He soon checks the proof with his own eyes when Robin manages to manifest a rabbit from smoke that she was able to loom up from thin air. Sanji gasps so loud it makes several eyes stare at him alone as they gush in unison “unbelievable, isn’t it!” but he nods and swallows, “Yeah! It looks so much like Usopp it’s almost unbelievable!” The latter is so righteously vexed that he uses his light kicks to punish Sanji for what he’s said, who in return, laughs along with everyone and escapes to the kitchen.

“You guys need to have breakfast before you go to school.” He tells them, musing with a vague smile.

Robin comes in, followed by a nonchalant Nami, who is now dressed in her school uniform.

“Let us help you.” She offers, and is thrilled to see Sanji beaming at her. At one hand, she can’t forgive herself for making Sanji live through that fearful experience, making him think he was going crazy, but at the other, she’s glad he’s forgiven her and allowed her near.

“By the way, Robin,” He starts, mixing the eggs in a large bowl. Maybe he wants to make omelets. “There’s something I’ve been thinking about since last night, when the Gumiho was still around, she couldn’t come into this house, why is that?”

“I remember bits of that.” She hums, nearing the kitchen counter with a thoughtful expression about her face, “I think she was a little worried about the male betas finding out about her. You also remember how she attacked only when the two female betas in the pack stayed behind, but that’s just a theory of my own.” She shrugs, “it’d be something entirely different. I mean I only remember bits of everything, not the whole thing.”

Sanji nods, “She also said she’d tell me the reason I have constant pain in my head and my arm.”

“You shouldn’t have trusted her,” she scowls at him in reproach, and quickly sighs when Sanji peers at her, “like I said last night, you have magic inside of you, and since it’s sealed around your arm, the pressure is too heavy on your body because you weren’t told or instructed on how to train the Imugi, or its powers; consequently, the pain rushes to your head because our veins are connected to our brains.” Her hands come up, “I’m only explaining it from the Gumiho’s point of view, it’s not like I know the answer for sure.”

“No, it explains a lot actually. So when you say the seal has been activated…” he’s motioning to her to explain more.

“I mean it’s been activated, by magic or something chiefly supernatural.” She elaborates, “something must have happened that caused the seal to activate but not completely break, this could be very dangerous, Sanji.”

He pauses, and he’s gradually chewing on his bottom lip in silence, “there’s something else...” he starts, compliantly; but he quickly notices the worried glances the two girls are giving him so he smiles, shaking his head. “Never mind, it’s nothing serious really.” He beams some more but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “By the way, I’m going back to my apartment this afternoon. If by any chance, well that’s a definite you’re going to be kicked out of here, but you should know that there’s always a space for you at my place.”

“You’re moving out?” Luffy shouts from outside the kitchen, and Sanji jerks up to the abruptness; he then remembers the ‘werewolf-y’ talk just eight or nine hours ago and is reminded that now all of them are supernatural creatures. Darn, he’d wished it was all just a dream when he woke up.

“Well yea, you see, I only stayed here because Robin was stalking me around,” he shrugs, offhandedly. “I’m not planning to shack up here, y’know.”

Everyone seems to be doing a double mental check on that, but Sanji is indifferent when he lifts the oil bottle to the light to see its depletion. Just then, Zoro walks in, heading straight to the sink.

“Hey,” Sanji’s blue eyes have caught the action but he isn’t planning on letting the man do as he pleases. “Don’t drink from the tap.” He warns and leisurely snatches the cup from the other’s hand, “there’s a bottle in the fridge, drink from that.”

Nami then grabs Robin by the forearm and takes her out of the kitchen, when Sanji’s eyes are done following the two girls, he looks back at Zoro who rolls his eyes at him, and drinks from the tap using his mouth instead.

“Fine, die from germs, it’d serve you right.” He huffs as he pours the mix into a pan and it sizzles.

“You’re really stupid.” Zoro comments, “I’ve never seen a werewolf die from germs before, you know that we heal, don’t you?”

Sanji quirks up and turns around to face the man, “don’t we all?”

“Yes, but our case is different.” He says, and just for the heck of it, he grabs a knife from the block, “for example” he drawls, “how much damage do you think this kitchen knife can do to me?”

Sanji intones, “Enough to make your guts spill.”

“Want to test it out?” Zoro ushers, but in a vague tone it makes the whole act suspicious.

Sanji is quick on his heels, taking large steps to reach that hand that recklessly brandishes the knife about, “don’t say stupid things in the early morning, it gives bad luck to people.” He struggles to take the knife away and Zoro continues to be a playful prick as he swings the appliance around. And despite his warning to the golden-haired that he might craze himself if he isn’t too careful, Sanji doesn’t exactly appreciate the piece of advice.  He ends up pressed against the sink with Zoro’s waist on his, fucking _grinding_. Sanji taps his flailing hands on the man’s marble chest and lowers his head, face aglow with a flush.

He feels Zoro’s piercing eyes drinking in the sight of his bare collar, and his hot breath approaching his ear, like he is undecided whether to scent him or not. Sanji’s chest starts heaving and he can almost hear his own breaths, wet and slow. His hands clench on the man’s tunic, reigning himself from doing something so foolish like grabbing Zoro’s by the mane and _make_ him mouth his neck. 

Zoro tosses the knife somewhere over the kitchen counter, and then Sanji pinpoints Zoro’s heavy silence. “You should go back to your place.” Said male stated out of the blue.

Sanji’s jaw tenses and wide, listless eyes look up; oh yeah, supernatural hearing powers, he remembers now. But something about the meaning behind Zoro’s words makes the trembling of his fingers prolonging like the onset of a natural calamity, “I know.” He tells him, pulling away from Zoro’s space to pluck three apples from a bowl full of them. He puts them under the water tap and shrugs.

“It’s safer that way.” Zoro adds in his usual tone of untroubled serenity.

“I said I know, okay?” Sanji huffs and lifts an admonitory hand to halt the other’s sorry-excuses for reasoning.

The two are silent for a long moment when Zoro finally shakes himself out of his little daze and breaks the nil of the complete absence of any sounds, “okay.” He nods slightly, and walks out of the kitchen.

Sanji clenches his fists on the edge of the counter as he leans on it. He’s irked, he’s vexed and enormously disappointed, it’s not like he was going to pack up and come crashing to the house. In fact, he was only dragged here by the forces of nature, or Buddha was just so angry with him he threw him to the wolves, literally. How is Sanji supposed to know?

But what if he never comes back, what if he never sees Zoro or any of them ever again?

Before he knows it, he’s fast on his feet, running after Zoro. In the hall, only the pack stands by the front door.

“He left.” Frank informs with a scowl on his forehead.

“You shouldn’t have raised your voice like that if you regret it now.” Luffy berates, a wave of yellow swivels inside his eyes.

“I didn’t.” Sanji denies, and before any of them could raise an argument, he adds hurriedly, “are you guys already leaving, what about breakfast?”

There are several head-shakes, and only Keimi is up enough to reply, “It’d feel like the last breakfast we’re having together, and personally, I hate that.”

“You can always find me at the store?” Sanji smiles cordially.

“You don’t understand, it won’t feel the same.” Nami groans, her goggle-round eyes rolling.

“It feels like our pack mom is going to leave the den.” Usopp shrugs, a hint of disappointment shading his slumped body.

Sanji smacks the boy’s head and quickly charms up a grin, “don’t forget to pass by the store when it’s finally repaired, besides, Robin is here now–”

“Eh?” said female screeches, “I’m going wherever _you_ go.” Her jaw juts towards Sanji, “I don’t want to stay with them if they’re not there to protect you, and since I’ve got a few tricks of my own now, then I believe I’m alone okay for that.”

“It’s not like we don’t want to,” Keimi’s eyes dart downwards, “it seems like our Alpha doesn’t want to have anything to do with you anymore, so we follow.”

Which makes him feel like a streetwalker after a one night stand, Keimi couldn’t put it any better.

“It’s exactly like I said.” Robin taunts, one brow already going up, “if fact, I’m glad Zoro won’t have anything to do with him anymore, because from now on, I’ll devote my life to him. So go tell your Alpha his protection isn’t needed.”

“Robin.” Sanji wrinkles his brows at her to mollify her anger. “It’s okay. And they’ve been greatly hospitable, let’s not forget that.”

Robin rolls her eyes with an annoyed ‘whatever’.

“Sanji, we’re super sorry.” Frank clasps his hands together, and bows his head.

“Hey, it’s getting late and school is still very far,” Sanji notifies, concern in his voice, “how are you going to get there on time?”

Nami flips her hair to the back and smirks, “we run.”

Sanji is quickly reminded of their werewolf powers, so he ooh’s, “Werewolves. Right. I forgot.”

“We’ll get to school in less than five if we go now guys.” Usopp reports, eyes peeking at his grey watch.

Everyone agrees with him and they bow slightly to Sanji, luck wishes and ‘stay safe’ is flung in the air for him, and they soon leave and vanish between the bushes and trees after they leap in unison.

“Wow,” Sanji exclaims as he watches them from the porch with Robin next to him, “now why can’t I get one of those powers on sales?”

“You’re too soft hearted.” Robin gripes, “They’re practically abandoning you, and you’re so happy about it.”

Sanji presses his lips together to give her a sort of a playful yet assuring smile, “you’re exaggerating things,” He nudges her shoulder with his, “come on, let’s eat and then pack up for your new home.”

All the way back to the kitchen, Robin wouldn’t leave it rest how much of a softy he is, which he agrees with when he sees how easily he’s forgotten to ask Zoro more about Law. But the way he acts upon it leaves Robin skeptical about his true feelings. They’re both at the sink doing the dishes while telling jokes and laughing when a massive tide of grief hits Sanji, wanting to engulf him alive. His stomach aches, and soon he is on his knees, on the ground, with Robin dropping beside him and calling his name.

“Is it your tattoo?” she demands, but the only reply she gets back is a tear that shamefully rolls down Sanji’s cheek.

“Didn’t know it’d hurt this much.” He wheezes and sniffs, even the hug she gives him takes time to get him back on his feet, emotionally drained. He guesses it was too arrogant to think that the fast-arriving farewell wouldn’t be too consuming.

 

He bags his belongings and promises Robin to buy her clothing when they get back. They both ride the beat up bike and he pedals down to the town, and to his apartment.

“Oh, I remember bits of being here,” Robin bobs her head, nodding to some memory her head is playing.

“Of course,” Sanji smacks her head, but gently, “you kept scaring me out and appearing on the mirrors, it was really freaky.” He wants to cry. He freaking hates ghosts.

“You know that wasn’t me,” Robin pouts, “I’d never scare a softy like you, though teasing you must be a lot of fun.” She grins sheepishly at him, her brows wriggle conspiratorially.

He ruffles her hair like an older brother would and suggests heading to the mall, which is accepted and excitedly agreed on by his new guest. She’s looking around the apartment as he changes into a white T inside his room.

“What’s with the claw marks on your door?”

“Those” he says, “um, it was you –I mean the Gumiho,” the shirt finally goes past his head and his eyes land on his meds over the bedside table, and speaking of meds, why has head started hurting the moment he went into the room? Maybe he should take a pill. Falling back into old habits, isn’t he?

“Huh,” she hums, “that can’t be possible because the Gumiho appeared on mirrors only.”

Sanji finally opens the door and appears in a plain T shirt, “what ‘you mean?”

Robin rests her hands on her hip, and sighs, “For some reason, the Gumiho was unable to cross over your front door. I bet it has something to do with a barrier. You lived here all your life so your parents must have made a barrier, a magical one, to protect the seal. And don’t give me that look young man” –She shakes her head negative when he narrows his eyes at her– “I’ve been possessed for a long time and although I have no idea what I’m talking about, I still know what I’m telling you is true.” She says, and her voice softens, “whatever made those claw marks on your door, it wasn’t the Gumiho.”

“Maybe a cat did that,” Sanji shrugs a shoulder after he eyes the said door for a moment, “cats can’t be magical. Or are you going to tell me they _are_.”

“Depends on what kind of cats you mean,” She grins, and quickly laughs when Sanji’s body stiffens with fear. She was right about how fun teasing him would be. “They aren’t, don’t worry.”

“Okay,” he lets out a heavy sigh of relief, “so if it wasn’t her, then who, or _what_?” because, magical creatures and whatnot.

Robin follows him as he walks out of the apartment, “I told you other creatures are going to be attracted to the scent of your blood, so something else must have gotten into your house.”

“Wow, so my place has become a fun destination for magical creatures, that’s comforting,” He shakes his head.

They’re now sauntering down the walking path under the morning sun, side by side.

“But you don’t look surprised,” Robin sends him a suspicious glance, “scared or even taken aback.”

“Actually I think I’m still dreaming, having a nightmare.” He tells her as he walks into a shop for women clothing. “I wouldn’t even be surprised if zombies were at the cash register –wait, there is no such thing as zombies is there?” he pauses at the entrance, peering in suspicion.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she slaps his shoulder, and he inwardly sighs in relief, but then she adds while looking all kinds of smug “of course there is.” and his eyes widen.

She picks a few skirts, rosy shirts and hats, underwear too (of course); he belatedly realizes that money doesn’t lay eggs or fall from the sky so he must economize for a little. But he doesn’t turn her down when she expresses her desire for tasting human food again. Coby’s father welcomes the two diners and motions to one of the waiters to take their orders; Robin orders cheeseburger and cola, while he settles for cold beer, nodding and allowing his leg to shake nervously. He waits with her for the orders at a table next to the window.

“Sanji,” Robin croaks out, and quickly clears her throat when said male snaps his attention back to her, “what did the Alpha say to you this morning?”

He shrugs and doesn’t deign to answer, but her stare is piercing and again, he can’t refuse her request, “nothing major, really, he said my place would be safer to stay at.”

“Although I can’t help but agree with him, I know a big part of you wanted to stay, and I still can’t forgive him for not taking my warning about you seriously.” She crosses her arms over the table and looks him straight in the eyes, her own dark and deep.

He props his elbows over the table and looks back at her, “now that’s messed up, I thought I already made it clear that I wasn’t going to shack up there. I only hid myself because you wouldn’t stop haunting me.”

She shakes her head slowly, the same kind of shake a know-it-all would make and it only boils your insides more because you know that what’s they’re about to say is either going to be true, or completely true, “tell me honestly, aren’t you a little into him?”

Sanji’s heart skips a beat but he minutely recovers, “That’s absurd.” He looks outside the window to avoid direct eye contact with her.

“Is it?” she dares, but relents just as fast, “Look, it’s fine.” She says, “I think love is such a beautiful thing, and I don’t think it was one-sided either.”

He looks at her again, fidgeting to ask, but she seems to see how tight his skin feels on him so she does him the honor. “Alphas don’t allow direct contact with people without being extra careful around them. And most of the time, strangers, or in your case ‘outsiders’, are highly detested, but the way you smelled of him meant he let you near or neared you on purpose.” She breaks off her sentence for a second, but he doesn’t seem convinced enough so she pushes, “also, Alphas never allow outsiders into their _den_ , and you two were practically soaking in each other this morning.”

Sanji blushes so hard like he’s been slapped with a fish fin a good few times. He messes with her hair to silence her, and good thing for him, the waiter brings Robin’s order and the attention is now on the sandwich instead.

Later, he considers Robin’s request to go sightseeing. “It doesn’t look like the shop owner is going to call me any time soon anyway.”

 

They’re waiting at the bus stop when Sanji remembers something to tell Robin, he tilts his head and squints at her, “remember that day you appeared at Zoro’s porch, when I was sitting there alone?”

“Oh, maybe.” She replies back instantly, but it doesn’t look like she’s paying any attention to him right now, because _hello?_ She’s been possessed for almost a hundred years and she’s finally seeing the world through actual human lenses? This realization quickly puts Sanji on standby as he shakes his head, and ushers her to follow when the bus finally arrives. They walk around to see the temples and none of them seems to be getting tired of it, she’s just as fascinated by history as he is, and it’s a rare thing to find someone with _that_ in common. Soon they go into an Emart and Robin totters over the escalators and gushes at everything she deems interesting. Sanji is overly glad that she’s having a thrill; he couldn’t imagine having lived the life she had. She must have had seen some terrible things too while the Gumiho fed off on young boys. Besides, anyone who doesn’t know the true value of PDP has never lived before.

 

It’s around two in the afternoon when Sanji gets a call from the shop owner, telling him to drop by when he has time. The other doesn’t waste time as he brings Robin along to the shop to see what’s going on, keeping his hope to get back to work already confidential. The shop is redone but not completely; the mirror on the ceiling is still there. But the place looks a lot more spacious than it used to, and all the items are beautifully lined on vertical shelves that they can actually see the wooden floor now. Not only Robin, but Sanji too is mesmerized. The shop owner crosses his arms over his chest and strokes his beard, his smile proud for his new made treasure.

“This place looks fabulous!” Robin scoots to the shelves, her hands ghosting over the items with gleam in her dark-blue eyes as though the gates to Narnia have opened.

“So I can come back to work now, right?” Sanji saunters to the middle, examining the entire repair work that took place within with his fingers shaking nervously.

“I was thinking after the weekend.” Zeff faces him, “Monday will be a perfect head start because even the announcement of the shop repair I asked you to post on the website is invalid after Monday. Besides, I still need to make the final touches,” He explains, a faint smile coloring his narrow lips, “Also, we’re going to be very busy next week, so just spend time with your girlfriend here until I call you back.”

“I’m not his girlfriend!” Robin admonishes, walking back to where the two men are standing and gaping at her quick response, “I’m his guardian” she says, huffing.

Scared she might add unnecessary details because that’s the kind of crap she’s spouting ever since the lightning bolt, which might have messed up her brain cells, Sanji tries to save them out of the awkward situation, “Kids” he chuckles, awkwardly, “she’s still at school and they teach them the strangest things, ha-ha.” He chuckles more, “Of course she’s not my girlfriend, dear heaven!”

“Very well then,” The old man swivels around to the counter and chuckles along, “I’ll have you start at one in the afternoon on Monday.”

Sanji is nodding absentmindedly as he keeps an eye out on Robin, who perks up, apprehension etches into her pretty face, “is it okay if I come help out too?” her hands come up to offer an avouching promise, “I just want to be here when Sanji is working, I need to keep an eye on him before a super–” her sentence is cut off by Sanji’s awkward laughter, and he speaks loudly to her, “Of course! I don’t think owner is going to mind as long as he doesn’t have to pay you.”

He shares and affirmative with the owner and quickly drags Robin out of there, “are you out of your mind? Were you trying to put us on blast or what?”

“W-what, what did I do?” Robin stutters, worry waving inside her concerned eyes.

“You can’t go around telling people about those things!” he chastises, “if you do that again I won’t forgive you.” He sends her a look of reproach now, his fingers still shaking, edgy.

“That’s absurd, I’ve seen so many unexplainable things and you’re telling me people don’t know about them?” she crosses her arms over her chest, dismissively.

“Look,” he tries to calm down first, “if you want to stay with me then just follow my guidebook. I know a lot of things we do are just absurd, but that’s how it’s always been, okay?”

When she finally seems to accept his agreement, they go back home in a more silent atmosphere. While Sanji should look a little mad for screaming at Robin for the wrong she’d said, he doesn’t. He looks rather absent-minded about something. He's fumbling with the keys to his apartment when Tsuru opens the door and plunks herself on the doorframe, “Sanji!” she gushes as though her soldier son was home from years of military service, and she opens her arms, “I’ve missed you!”

He beams and walks right into her space to give her a hug, “how’ve you been?”

Her hands are clutching at his both arms so he wouldn’t wiggle out, “Well.” She nods fervently, looking him in the eyes, “I have great news, but” she pauses to look at Robin, “oh, are you his girlfriend?”

Robin doesn’t reply because obviously she’s still mad at Sanji, who in return, opens his mouth to deny but Tsuru is quicker, “I see, then I won’t ask you to any marriage interviews anymore, and I’m really happy now because Law has contacted me and said he’d come the day after tomorrow to see me!”

Sanji sighs wearily; he really wants to get over this story already. He doesn’t want to keep being pulled to the past anymore. But Tsuru’s eyes are shining in a way he will never bring himself to diminish with a spoken reminder of the death of her grandchild, “don’t forget to call me when he comes, I’d like to see him too.”

“Of course, of course,” She nods again, “now go, I’ll cook some stew for you and bring it over later.”

 

“Marriage interviews?” Robin echoes once they walk into the house, and soon she drops on the sofa.

“Yeah,” he mumbles, “she used to bring me candidates photos all the time. I guess it’s good that she thinks we’re dating, I won’t have to turn her down every time she asks now,” he says, and heads straight to his room soon afterwards.

“Wait, why didn’t you just tell her you’re gay?”

“Because I’m not?” he props his head out of his door and leans his forearm on the door handle.

“Excuse me?” Robin marvels, accusingly, “so what do you call that little spark between you and the Alpha? And don’t tell me friends because friends don’t soak into each other in bed.”

Sanji’s mouth falls open to protest, but really, he doesn’t have anything to say back to that, “Guess I’m Bi then?” he goes back into his room like he didn’t just crack the puzzle of years of sexual identity crises.

“It is strange, though,” she swoops her tongue on her lips and scowls, “he isn’t mated with anyone but he’s been treating you, um…” she tackles her mind for the right word and doesn’t fail to notice Sanji’s eyes squinting at her, “ _well_ ” which in her vocabulary sounds pretty decent, considering. “I mean you smelled of him a few times, which tells me he imprinted on you. That could be two-sided actually, but more instinctive on your side. He still hasn’t pinned you to the floor either because he is betrothed or because he prioritize your wishes more, any other werewolf wouldn’t have cared. I guess he is what you call a gentleman.”

“Okay,” he juts his head rearward with his mouth parted like Totoro, “you’ve just wasted over five minutes of my life, what’s your point?”

“Why didn’t you just confess? An Alpha’s protection is a lot better than a newbie like me. I’m sure becoming Zoro’s mate can’t be that bad. He’s kind of good looking, I mean did you see how strong he is.” They both remember that floor slam “He must be strong in bed, too.”

“He has a _fiancée_.” Sanji deadpans, finally emerging in his grey sweatpants and shirt, and then he drops next to her on the couch. His knee bounces.

She studies him with her wide eyes for a second and doesn’t speak until he gets uncomfortable with her intense gaze, “do you miss him?”

He rolls his eyes, “you’re still on with that.”

“I’m being serious.” She follows his eyes to pin them. “I’ve been stalking you for days now, Sanji, I know how ugly cheerful you usually are. But today, you were cross.”

He scratches an itch in his nape, and his fingers soon glide to the side of his neck –the side that Zoro always mouthed, like this morning. God, it’s not like he wanted him to nuzzle his neck, honest. He means it. “You’re imagining things.” He ruffles her hair to forestall any oncoming revelations, “we should get your ass back to school though” he groans, “Can you even read?”

“Of course I can,” Robin tucks loose black locks behind her ear, “Gumihos are very sophisticated creatures that live long enough to know a lot more than you give them credit for.”

“Good. I don’t want to take you there only to receive a call later to get you back home because you wouldn’t stop barking to lure male students to you for mating.”

He receives a blow to his head for his joke but they soon laugh jointly at the thought.

 

At eight, Tsuru brings the stew over as she promised, and bids them goodnight.

Around nine, Robin calls it night and goes to crash on the sofa because beds ‘make her uncomfortable’ and because, according to her, she was on bed when she got possessed in the past so she’ll avoid any triggers. Also, she has to guard the front door for any unwanted guests.

Sanji plucks a cold beer from the freezer and makes his way to his room after turning all the lights off.

The furl of his lips softens as he looks out the window while his fingers drum over the sill; the full moon is still shining and illuminating the half lit neighborhood. There’s a tempestuous desire to open his phone and call Zoro, but he quickly blames it on Robin’s stupid talk about love, which, again, has put a stop to his sexual identity crisis actually; admitting to being bi out loud sort of assessed a few doubts he’d been having a lot lately, make that since his high school.

It hits midnight and even after guzzling up to four beers so far, he’s still sober. His head starts feeling heavy over his neck, so he drags himself over to his bed to sleep. He doesn’t look like he will, because something is missing, something isn’t right. His glazed gaze travels to the ceiling and he stares at it, his mind gifting him memories of him and Zoro sitting at the porch, just hanging around, or sleeping together. Nothing sexual. Nothing _too_ sexual. But that’s inconsistent and Sanji can argue if his inebriated brain so much wants to.

Maybe this is what’s missing; Zoro’s arm isn’t hooked around his waist protectively anymore.

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions:
> 
> Gloriosa as Rosa

 

 

 

He’d climb the highest skyscraper in the country and will still be left with some energy to dive a hundred feet bellow sea and stay up another two nights on end. He’s been looking out of the window with droopy eyes since the crack of dawn. He’s witnessed life breathing into earth’s inhabitants, and he’s watched the townspeople milling around like ants in suits.

The door to his room creaks open and he lazily swivels to face her. “Too keyed up to sleep, lover boy?” Robin teases, but she quickly gives him a remorseful look when he smiles tentatively at her.

 

Today is also another déjà vu with Robin being excited about shopping and sightseeing; only this time Sanji is more heedful of his money. They stop at a beautiful spot in the park with fenced roses and daisies at each side, and Robin skids to a nearby green-camouflaged bench and flops on it with her bags on her lap.

“I’m dead tired. There probably are blisters under my soles”

Sanji lifts incredulous brows at her without sitting down. “You bet.”

She taps at the purchased items with loving palms, “Thanks for buying me these, Sanji. I’ll make sure to use them wisely.”

Sanji squints at their surrounding as a sharp pang starts gradually tinging in the back of his head. “You’d better,” he huffs, and winces.

Her smile drops as she notices him wincing and kneading at his forehead. “What is it?”

He shakes his head but she pulls him to the bench, seating him next to her. “Sorry,” he rasps out, now reaching for his tattooed arm and cradling it closer to his chest. “I’ll be fine in a minute.”

“Shut up” she bites out, “I should’ve been more careful. Let’s go back home for now, you need rest.”

A middle-aged, squared-faced and pale man in a marine-blue pea coat approaches them, a frown across his forehead, “are you alright, young man?” he asks, but the beret over his head makes seeing his eyes impossible unless you duck.

“Yeah,” Sanji utters, almost in a mumble. Great, just what he needed; curious onlookers swarming over him. “I’m fine, thanks.” he offers and quickly stands up. He gently nudges Robin away from the man, “let’s go.”

The man’s hand shoots to grip Sanji’s by the wrist, tightening its fist around the bone, “but you look awfully pale,” as if he’s one to talk, “why don’t you get into my car and I’ll give you a ride to the hospital.”

Um, no, creep.

Sanji’s vision suddenly goes hazy for a moment as the throb in both his head and arm intensifies, but there’s enough strength left in him to grab that man’s hand and shove it away, “now, now, old man, stop being a pesky little thing,” he wraps an arm around Robin’s neck and stumbles away.

“What’s his deal?” Robin berates in distaste, flinging ugly glances at the man who’s still watching them.

Sanji’s taken by a wave of vertigo and he wobbles a little, Robin holds him upright by the upper arms just as his knees give out. “I suddenly feel drained.” He clasps a hand over his sweaty face, “I need to lie down.” He pants, features pinched with pain.

A yellow Porsche pulls over and they almost bump into it. “Get in.” Its owner hooks a thump over his shoulder, motioning at the back seat.

Because the pain has doubled by a hell lot of notches by now, Sanji finds a little relief in keeping his eyes shut. His limbs are trembling all over. His forehead and neck are sweating like a contemptible milksop post-The Grudge, and so Robin has no other choice but to lay him down in the backseat.

Sanji can only hear the conversation going on with the blissful feeling of the air conditioner on blast.

“What’s wrong with him?” a male’s voice asks, a little fanatically.

“His head hurts, guess it’s a heatstroke.” She replies, a little worried judging by the vibration in her voice.

“Should we take him to the hospital?” the same man asks, and Sanji doesn’t have the strength to open his eyes and tell him his insurance isn’t going to cover it.

“No, just take us home.” She pleads, and Sanji is very grateful to her for being such a wonderful guardian. At least he won’t end up paying any hospital bills for stupid sunstroke; but this sunstroke feels ridiculously painful –a strained groan escapes his lips. “Please hurry!” Robin practically begs.

 

Something soft, yet marble slightly leans against his face, or is it his face leaning on something. He can’t tell, but he feels like he’s floating. This he is sure of. Humans don’t float, the logical side of his brain provides. So maybe he is being carried, but Robin is half his size and he doesn’t know anyone who would go out of their way to carry him bridal style.

“Zoro…”

 

_There’s something lurking behind that door left ajar and he, for the life of him, doesn’t want to open it but a force of sort is shoving him nearer, urging him to. He has to open it. There’s something snaking behind that door and an ominous chorus of jingling reverberates, what could it be?_

_Everything goes aflame all of a sudden and he feels unable to breathe. Now he has to run away, he has to find a way out…_

 

Sanji sits up abruptly, and groans at the residue of pain in his head. “Damn dreams.” He finally inspects the room he’s in, it’s his. Last time he checked, his legs were becoming spaghetti back at the park, how did Robin manage to get him here. “Robin!” he calls out, and he low key ignores how he sounds like an evil stepmother.

She comes rushing into the room, “are you okay, do you still feel dizzy?”

“Who brought me here?” is his only concern for now.

“What a fine gentleman he is! Even left me his phone number.” She’s trying to make Sanji jealous; he intends to show how little he is by rolling his eyes. “He said he’d call again to check on you.”

“ _Call_ ” He echoes, not sounding very pleased about it.

“I gave him your number since I don’t have one, these things are quite handy.” The thing being the cell-phone, but her brows arch up suddenly as though Sanji has just done a double back flip, “why, was I not supposed to? I’m sorry.”

He sighs, sadly, “as long as you know it was wrong enough to say sorry.” He flails a hand in the direction of the window and quickly returns it to his lap, “How could you trust him so easily!”

“You were swooning out on me. I didn’t know what to do!” she spits out.

He remembers that she’s only a child, a thousand-year-old child, nonetheless a child, and quickly reflects on his words, “let’s order pizza.”

 

Ten in the evening has them lounging on the sofa with empty take-out bags and soda cans strewn on the table. Running Man is on and only a few minutes to go until it's over. Robin laughs so hard when Lee Kwang Soo’s hair gets stuck on his name tag, but a familiar sound –a buzzing– interrupts their laughter, and they both reel their heads towards Sanji’s phone.

“You win.” Robin notes out with a deep smirk taunting her face.

“Don’t say ridiculous things” –he pushes up to stand– “and go to sleep already.” He tells her and reaches full height, picks up the call and heads straight to his room. He closes the door and leans on the window sill. “Hey, I missed you, man.” His voice falls down to a soughing whisper and he kicks himself internally at how desperate he might have just sounded.

“You don’t sound too good.” The other male at the end of the line points out. He’s deft.

Sanji's braced arm give away and he soon props on his elbows instead. He can’t bring himself to admit just how much he’s missed this man’s velvety voice.

“I’m okay.” Sanji assures, and he’s in the way to adding something else but the other cuts him off. “That’s a lie” and Sanji frowns, “How do you know that?”

“I heard that flutter of your heartbeat that is not in place, is everything okay?”

“Yea,” Sanji finally confesses, “Headaches. Don’t worry.” He shrugs to himself, “so how’re you doing, I haven’t seen any of the kids lately.”

“Me neither, I sent them out to scout the borders two nights ago.” He reports, brusquely.

“Did something happen?” Sanji’s eyes tremble with a novel sparkle.

“Nothing, we’re just being on guard.” The man states, the serenity of his voice making Sanji’s stupid heart flutter more and he isn’t sure whether Zoro thinks he’s been lying throughout the entire conversation because he simply isn’t aware of the real reason. “Sanji”

“Yes?”

“What did we tell you about Mia?” He asks out of the blue, and for a second, Sanji has no idea what the man is talking about until the yellow Porsche, same one that stopped by his shop the other day and same one he’s ridden recently, pops up in his head. “I made a mistake, but it’s not like he hurt us or anything.”

“That’s not the point.” Zoro berates, almost gravely.

“So this is why you called?” Sanji questions while demurring a little as though the answer might frighten him.

“Yes” is Zoro’s honest, yet thoughtless answer; Sanji had all the right to be afraid then.

“Don’t worry, we won’t speak to him again, and say hi to the kids for me.” He huffs, “good night.” He quickly hangs up. Zoro doesn’t call again, but after a few minutes of ireful silence as Sanji just flings the phone over the bed and goes to the shower, Zoro sends a text message which Sanji reads thirty minutes after his shower. The message simply reads ‘I miss you, too’.

This man is unfair.

 

It is a beautiful Saturday morning. Robin rolls out of the futon and greets the day with a satisfying stretch. She recalls the phone call from last night and before she knows it, her feet are already dragging her to Sanji’s bedroom, finding the latter in his sweats, sitting cross-legged over his bed and typing away on the keyboard of his laptop with eyes filled with distinct red dots that appear under the large frames of his glasses.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t catch any sleep last night too?” she marvels, a bit louder than certifiable at ass o’clock in the morning.

“I had to get back to some old purchase orders,” he replies, and he tries to add the rest with the utmost care he can show, “Also, I need to find another job soon.”

She takes another step closer to his bed, eyes narrowing intently, “That’s no reason to stay up. Did something happen, did he say something to you again?”

“It seems like our guy from yesterday rubs Zoro the wrong way,” Sanji is flailing a hand and shuffling the papers over his bed with the other. “He called to give me an earful.”

“What did you tell him?” she requires, hands over her hips in a very interrogating manner.

“What did I tell him? I told him okay.” He is skimming through some article on the screen, small font text reflected on his glasses. “I couldn’t say anything back to that because I was a little down, but he’s right, I guess.”

“Love makes you blind.” She rolls her eyes, “well then, let me tell you a little something” She sits next to him on the bed, grinning from ear to ear like The Wench who stole Christmas. “our _guy_ from _yesterday_ said he’d meet us today at the Paradise’s.’”

“Huh!” he gasps, slipping his glasses off.

“I didn’t tell you last night because you already looked pissed, and although I don’t know what Paradise is, I still want to go.”

“Look,” Sanji sighs exasperatedly, “we can’t have anything to do with this guy, he’s rumored to be dangerous, and he certainly has something to do with the Ronoas and personally? I don’t want to get involved with them anymore.” He adds as an afterthought, “And Paradise is not for minors.”

“But he helped you out, how could you say that about him!” she shoots up to her feet, countenance drawing into a scowl.

“I’ll make sure to thank him later, and that’s it, end of story.” He puts his glasses back on, and goes back to reading whatever he’s been reading off his computer screen.

“I can’t believe you trust the wolves so much after they abandoned you, did the guy even do anything bad to us? Maybe you don’t know but he was so insistent on taking you to the hospital and he even said he would pay the bill.” She screeches with a pout about her lips, and quickly storms out of the room.

Sanji manages to hold himself only a moment before he throws himself over the pillows and lets out another deep sigh, “this sucks.”

 

Sanji stands by the bathroom’s door, all dressed up. “I’m going to walk Mrs. Rosa’s poodle, be back later. And don’t go anywhere,” not to Paradise, not to any shit-hole. “Got it?”

Robin, as though to remind him of her stand on the matter, throws something at the door which he takes as his cue. He nods to himself, and finally leaves.

 

Sanji’s already well-informed about the ins and outs of these neighborhoods although he wasn’t born in the town. He moved in at a young age and he knows it like the back of his hand, but it’s the faces around that you get skeptical about. A lot of people immigrate to the city for work, and only very few move in.

So far, he’s handling the white poodle quite well in spite of its aggressiveness towards other dogs they meet on their way, but he doesn’t care because he’s getting charged per hour. The longer it lasts, the better. He could care less about the pestering glares they give him and the dog, though the dog deserves it. Who told Mrs. Rosa to spoil him rotten; being rich doesn’t mean you can give your pet obesity. That’s animal abuse, according to Dr. Phil. It’s around six in the afternoon when he returns the dog to its owner and is paid a good deal of money, pretty great money actually (apparently, she had an appointment to attend to and Sanji did her a huge favor).

The sun is sinking beyond the vast horizon, which reminds him it’s still late August and he’s suddenly sorry. He is sorry for himself, and for Robin, too.

 

All he gets worried about now is money in his pockets, food on his table and not attracting supernatural creatures, and he realizes he is not comfortable with that. Although he’s happy that he’s not working for anyone, as free as a bird, he’s still regretful about not going to college. He should have at least gotten a degree.

He looks around, there’s an electronic store ahead. The purchase deal is done and over with and they fling him ‘congrats’ and ‘please come back again’ on his way out. He rocks the small bag in his hand a little. Robin is going to piss herself with happiness.

 

 

We are armored with something no other creature can even dream of, and that is our sense of danger. The little hunch which sends alarms whenever something, or someone, is creeping up on you like an old critter that looks like he’s just moved out of a shack to stalk Sanji. Sanji’s had a moment to confirm this detection, but that’s all he needed: a moment, to tell that a man with the beret is trailing him down like an amateur. He knows his body and he knows he can take the other down if mugging him is what he wants, but he also knows that scurrying into an empty, dark alley after he’s spent over forty minutes getting educated about the latest phone collections until he lost sunlight is a very, very terrible idea.

He stands there gaping up at the wall indicating the dead end of the alleyway. An hour ago, He thought of himself as an expert about the ins and outs of this wretched town. Awkward. Then he hears footsteps dashing towards him, accompanied by prodding pain inside his head and across his tattooed arm. But you sort of disregard the small details when there’s a spooky man breathing down your neck.

“I’m not here to harm you.” He tells Sanji.

“You should come up with a new pick-up line,” Sanji swivels around but finds only darkness. His eyes quiver with worry. “They’ve already used that on me, branch out, dude” But something suddenly doesn’t feel right as pressure builds up around his tattoo, it’s unusual, novel and unlikable. His motions are more inert now, and so is his body. And he’s feeling it again, the insecurity and the presence of another alien being, or soul or whatever, glaring at him from the darkness. The nausea it brings to him is unbearable… “Stay away from me.”

“I cannot do that.” The other hums, “you have something very special which I need.” he explains in a chilly voice, and Sanji knows this is nothing like being followed by the Gumiho. It is different, and probably even more dangerous, “give that to me, and I will go away.”

“What’ you want?” He slurs, his eyes searching around for the source of the voice he’s hearing.

“Will you give it to me if I tell you what it is?” The man amuses, his shape finally emerging from the darkness. It’s nothing Sanji wants to see ever again –if this is only another hallucination that is, because it’s scary. His black eyes are scary, his ivory-white skin almost like a dead corpse’, his teeth pointy at the bottom reminds Sanji of the sharks from Deep Blue, and he hates those, so it’s also scary. But he’s wearing a long gown with dragon patterns; he even dressed up for the occasion, _how thoughtful!_ “Will you, now?”

Sanji’s tattoo throbs more, and there’s a tingling sound in his head making him stand still, “bite me.” He huffs in vigorous denial.

The other chuckles, critter’s teeth making him look maniacal, “gladly.” He beams and launches forward with such speed Sanji’s never seen before and is unable to catch up with until the man’s nose brushes along Sanji’s nape. “I see, you have been scent-marked. How wise.” He comments, and Sanji is quaking with fear like a newly hatched chick, even paling more, anymore and he’d look like a mango. A pair of strong hands then lifts his body and flings it to the ground like a Frisbee. As he recovers from the winder, slower than a sloth, Monsieur spooky straddles his lap to immobilize him.

Sanji looks up through slanted eyes, that one fall is going to bruise. “Already stage three, we haven’t even kissed yet.”

The other chuckles through teeth-crammed mouth, “so, am I allowed to have a taste, too?”

“You’ve been blabbering nonsense since you popped out, so let me help you understand the situation here buddy,” Sanji wets is lips, “first, go get a tan because, man, you look like a corpse that’s recently been dug out of the graveyard. Eat some vegetables, too. I heard fish is good for–” he’s interrupted with the other’s razor-sharp nails as they graze his tattooed arm.

“I am a dead body, and you cannot guess what a Jiangshi’s food is.”

_Seriously, so it’s a vampire this time?_

_Is there some sort of a sewer from which these things pop out?_

Sanji shrugs against himself, “Dead squirrels?”

“Wrong.” The Jiangshi presses on the tattoo until blood spurts out.

 

 

 

 

Rain falls on his face –brought on by this late summer storm, rolling down his cheeks as he only gawks vacantly at the starless sky. His energy is slowly fading away from him as the seconds pass by.

He had something to deliver, he still remembers, he had bought a present for Robin before he was attacked by this unsightly thing. And now the Jiangshi is atop him, sucking away his blood and repaying him with pain in return. Nice going pal, that’s magical blood you’re gurgling away. Stupid gargoyle.

 _Robin is going to be so mad_ _,_ he thinks, _she won’t forgive him even if he bribes her with the phone, and he doesn’t really know her that well and he isn’t a good judge of character so she’s probably already left by now. Jeez, he shouldn’t take in kids when he can’t even take care of himself._

He whimpers because the Jiangshi is now sinking his fangs in the fair skin of Sanji’s neck.

 _So this is it? He’s going to die, here?_ He wonders, contritely _,_ _he wonders who’ll come to his funeral. Tsuru and Zeff will no doubt about it. Will his doctor and shrink come too? But he already fired the shrink and the doctor knows Sanji doesn’t like him, so they probably won’t come. What about Coby and his dad, they’re probably going to be busy with their restaurant so he shouldn’t count on it. His neighbors will be sad too, but that’s about it. Maybe Keimi and Nami will come and pay their respect, Usopp will most likely have a blast because Sanji’s finally out of the picture –he gasps–_ _he was never in the picture to begin with, and even if the kids decide that it’s fine if he’s around, that man won’t. For some reason, he doesn’t want Sanji around. Wait, is he that much of a burden?_ _–he blinks sporadically–_ _that asshole, he said he was worried about something so it’s really this. Sanji can read him like an open book and this is just too childish of him, Sanji’s blood isn’t something worth worrying over. He should tell him that. He should go there and face him about it, maybe punch him on the nose if Zoro doesn’t listen, but does he really need to do that? So what if Zoro listens, will it change anything? –he wets his lips–_ _it won’t because he’ll still be attracting creatures like this stupid gargoyle, will still cause Zoro’s family trouble_ _._

The Jiangshi re-positions his body over Sanji’s.

_He has all the right to protect his family, werewolves or not, Sanji can’t rely on him too. He needs to do something himself and stand strong like everyone else. It’s time that he shows them that he’s not the pure definition of a fucking burden, that he actually can take care of himself, and is more than capable of taking care of others…_

Sanji hears a faint voice, deep yet unfathomable, it comes from somewhere near and that’s his head which decided to act like radio static. He sighs as he stretches his neck, something glows over his chest and the Jiangshi perks up apprehensively, blood dripping down his jaw.

“Are you full yet?” Sanji taunts. “My turn.” He informs, and launches forward, sending the Jiangshi slamming against the wall. Sanji straddles him quickly and brings his tattooed arm up to the other’s forehead, “call me stingy, but you need to give me back my blood.”Hhe grins, his arm glowing more, making the Jiangshi’s body jolt and jerk to the sudden flow of energy. He struggles but Sanji’s grip on his forehead is tightening, revenge is so bittersweet. Crystal-white energy lines travel up Sanji’s arm, and he doesn’t feel tired anymore unlike the Jiangshi who is slowly withering away.

“P-please, don’t finish me…” the Jiangshi pleads, weakly, and Sanji quirks a brow at him, “I need to meet someone before my life energy evaporates, I might have been hostile towards you but my reasons are valid.”

“It’s funny how you guys always have a reason to try to kill and maim me,” Sanji bemuses, accusingly. “So what are your reasons, guess I have the right to know since my life force was almost stolen away from me.”

“You must already know that Jiangshis are creatures that have no will power,” he sits more comfortably now that Sanji has lifted off of him, somehow still hunched.

Sanji nods gingerly, “everyone knows that.”

“But many years ago, a woman took pity on me and tore the mystical tag that was supposed to stay onto my forehead, but by doing so, I couldn’t rest in peace and I’ve been wandering God’s earth ever since."

“So what will drying me out of blood do to help you?” he asks in monotone.

“A few months ago, I met someone who offered me help, but they said I needed more life force in order for her to perform the rituals that will make me rest.”

And not _any_ Jiangshi, a suicidal Jiangshi!

“So she sent you over to kill me?”

“No, I smelled your blood a few weeks ago. I only decided on ambushing you today because your guardian wasn’t around.”

Sanji tsks, “Guardian.” He echoes on a curt chortle, “You don’t need any rituals, if you want to rest back in your coffin, I can do it for you.”

The Jiangshi looks into Sanji’s eyes, his own wide and questioning, “Can you?”

The other shrugs, “I have no idea how I know all of this, maybe it’s the same with Robin.” He mumbles this to himself as an afterthought, and quickly adds, “But anyways, I know that I can do it.”

The Jiangshi smiles, and for a moment, Sanji wonders if all Jiangshis smile warmly like that, despite the fangs and the pasty pallor.

“If I’m ever reborn, I want to be able to meet you again.” He tells him.

Sanji’s arm glows more, “Thanks,” he says, “but no thanks.” He grins and shares an affirmative with the Jiangshi, soon, he puts his hand on the other’s forehead and the Jiangshi lets out a loud roar that somehow gets lost with the bolt of lightning that strikes him down out of nowhere, and he slowly shutters to glittering fragments just after sending one final smile to his savior.

 

It’s quiet again, only the sound of rain drumming the concrete making him aware that this is indeed reality.

He figures out something after glancing up at the sky, something about the constant pain in his arm and in his head as well, and he’s grateful to the Jiangshi for clarifying things for him, or for at least being part of it without intentionally meaning to.

 

Sanji collects his things and adjusts his clothes, they’re all wet, but who cares, he’s just sent a Jiangshi back to his grave! Although he has no idea whatsoever how he pulled it off but he did, and he’s going to add it to his diary. He’s joking, he doesn’t have a diary. He walks through the empty streets, heading to his apartment, thinking that maybe Robin is already sound asleep. However, that soon proves him wrong when he fumbles with the keys, opens the door and walks in to find more than just one guest.

“Sanji!” Keimi gushes, worriedly.

The three male betas fan out behind the girl, crossing their hands behind their back in a military way.

Sanji has to agree; he just came back from a battle, and so he deserves a welcoming of a hero.

“Where have you been?” Robin jaws, “do you have any idea what time it is!”

Sanji eyes their faces for a split moment, he slips out of his wet shoes and walks past them, ignoring their perturbed look.

“It’s two in the morning!” Robin rebukes, “I got so worried I had to call them for help.”

“Who are you, my mom?” Sanji jokes, but a bit in a cynical mood, “and speaking of that, are you going to call them every time I stay out late?”

She promises with a brisk nod, “If it’ll keep you safe, then yes.”

“I feel good hearing that, thank you.” He rolls his eyes, wearily.

“We all got so worried” Nami takes her share of the argument, “and because of the storm, we couldn’t track you by scent, or by heartbeat, it was nerve-wracking!”

Usopp then says just after spotting the bag in Sanji’s hand, “I wonder what kind of stores open this late.”

Sanji flings the bag to Robin who catches it just as quickly, “I’m bribing you, I guess.”

A mask of remorse covers her face as she takes out the phone from the cartoon bag, maybe she understands that Sanji remembered she didn’t have a phone when she gave Mia his number. Amidst the silence, the front door opens with an ominous creak, and as all eyes watch it slide slowly, Zoro comes into view, drenched through his black coat.

“Mr. Ronoa,” Luffy gushes in a disgruntled and worried tone at the same time, “Did you find him?”

Said male shakes his head, negative, and walks right into Sanji’s space.

They all stand more alerted now.

“Asshole, don’t come in with your shoes on!” Sanji bellows, his nose flaring.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that if I were you,” Usopp warns, jutting his jaw towards the Alpha, and that’s when Sanji quiets down and meets Zoro’s eyes head on. The other stands in front of him, motionless and somehow detached. “Your stare won’t scare me, get your shoes off of my floor.” He bellows, “I can spell it for you if you want.”

Zoro slants his head closer to Sanji’s neck, and it’s a movement Sanji has become so accustomed to that he felt emptied having it not done to him in the past few days. His eyes follow Zoro’s blank ones as the latter brushes the tip of his nose along his neck.

“Ah…” Sanji relents with a sigh, but really, it came out without his consent.

As though stirred, Zoro presses closer, cold fangs and hot breath sending a shudder across Sanji’s body.

“God, Zoro…” He moans, eyes slowly fluttering shut.

A shuffle and tapping sounds make him conscious of the others’ presence, and he quickly tries to push the other man off him, but Zoro is ridiculously stronger that he doesn’t even budge. He nudges him more but the nose on his neck throws his attempts out of the window as he sighs deeper this time at their skin contact. Apparently, Zoro has started using his lips instead.

The feeling is fucking unbelievable.

“Oh, God…” Sanji whimpers wantonly, his hands trembling by his sides.

“It’s no joke.” Usopp comments, admiringly.

This is where Sanji’s self-restraint regains control and he reels his head to Zoro’s direction, “knock it off.”

Zoro’s eyes shine red, his canines elongate and Frank perks up alarmed, “Mr. Ronoa?” he says, faintly, as if afraid to speak the words aloud.

Aware of their nature now as werewolves and of Frank’s solemn and thoughtful character, he quickly figures that something is wrong with Zoro since it’s managed to draw that expression on his face, so a furrow slowly grows between Sanji’s brows.

“Are you in there, fur ball?” Sanji calls out while snapping his fingers before the other’s face, but Zoro reacts viciously instead as he catches Sanji’s hand from the wrist and slams him against the wall, only to bite on the fair skin of his neck. Sanji lets out a pained cry, and in no time, his mind goes completely blank.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because the responses for the latest chapter were mind-blowing (over seven unique comments!) I decided to knock out this one for you today instead of tomorrow. (Kinda pushed my engines but who cares).  
> I hope Midnight Hunter did great in her test. Dedicated to anyone who's having a rough day. 
> 
> Star Guest:  
> Apis as herself

 

 

Zoro takes his fangs out of Sanji’s neck –the area between the shoulder and the neck– and whips his head towards his betas with a jaw dripping with blood. Sanji slides to the floor with his eyes closed.

Robin gasps, hands covering her mouth, “Oh my God. Sanji, are you okay!”

The betas usher her to hide as they stand erect, eyes flashing yellow and claws flicking out.

“Easy now,” Nami brings her hands up to dispel his doubts, “we just want you to calm down.”

He snarls, and hunches in front of an unconscious Sanji in a defensive stance.

“Crap, he thinks we’re after Sanji.” Usopp points out for the other members, forehead glistering with sweat and fists balling nervously beside his thighs. “He’s gone feral. Don’t let your guard down.”

The others share a nod with him and look back at Zoro as he growls at them, deep, threatening growls.

“What if he doesn’t change back soon?” Robin shoots from somewhere, “we need to treat Sanji’s wounds before he bleeds to death.”

It’d be insensitive to bring that bit about bleeding to death, so Usopp keeps his comment to himself.

“He’ll rip us apart before we even get to him!” Nami grits out, no trace of her coolly eyes are found.

“What, the five of you can’t take him down?” Robin exclaims, disbelievingly.

At this, they look at Sanji’s body lying on the floor, lax almost lifeless.

“He’s the _Alpha_. He can read our moves because he’s the one who trained us.” Frank explains, “He knows all our weaknesses.”

Hopelessness creeps up to them and even Robin is giving them a sympathizing look.

“It’s not certain, but I have a plan.” Keimi tells them with determined eyes, “The four of us will keep him busy, and you and Nami take Sanji away, deal with his wounds.”

“So we’re the decoys now.” Usopp raises his bottom lip in distaste, “great.”

“We’re the betas, when our Alpha is in need we do our best to meet his expectations.” Frank preaches, “And right now, we need to have them both safe and sound. So get your head back in the game and let’s finish this without much of breaking a sweat.”

Their human faces change completely and they flick out their claws and growl back at their Alpha.

After moments of terrifying silence, they all clash at once and Zoro sends them crashing on the furniture with one strike, but Usopp launches back at him and the two engage in a bloody hand-to-hand that looks one-sided and as though the Alpha is playing with him. Soon Usopp gets grazed across the upper arm and blood gushes and spurts to the floor. The other three send the cue to Robin and Nami to take Sanji out of there as they attack Zoro in unison, but they’re quickly cut down with a couple of lethal blows again. Zoro switches his attention back to Sanji, and he snarls at the two girls attempting to drag him away.

Luffy shrieks “Nami, get away from there!”

Said beta jolts violently and quickly grabs Robin along to hop over to the other side, but alas, Zoro’s hand reaches hers first and he seizes it only to toss her away like a crunched paper. With a deep whine, she lands on a mystical net which Robin managed to summon just in time, “Thanks Robin” she says hastily.

“This is not going to work,” said girl announces, “We need to think of something else.”

“Use your fox tricks,” Nami reminds, “You made the net, make something to restrict his movements.”

“I’ll try.” She deadpans.

Robin mumbles a few ambiguous words and something glowing darts forward from her opened hands and toward Zoro, wrapping around his upper body. For a moment, everyone’s faces lightens up when Zoro’s movement get restricted and he wobbles oddly, but moments later, he vibrates silently with rage for a beat before tilting his head back and letting out a reverberating roar. Everyone gapes fearfully at the Alpha as he tears the twines wrapping around him, and snorts with his red eyes flashing at them.

“We’re screwed.” Luffy comments, tersely.

“Zoro…” a voice croaks out when all their hopes seem to shutter to pieces, and all heads snap towards it only to find Sanji slowly sitting up with his face pale and grimaced.

“Sanji!” they gasp at once.

Sanji inspects their anxious faces, and most importantly, their werewolf form. “You guys look awful,” he wheezes, chuckling, “well, I have to say, I’m no different.” He mumbles while trying to straighten up. He checks every one of them carefully, their wounds, the blood on their clothes and over their faces. The broken pieces of his furniture, the broken TV and the blood on the floor… Ah, that’s the worst. Do you have any idea how hard it is to remove the stains?

“Sanji!” Keimi shouts for his attention, “try to stay still, he looks like he’s been taken over by his inner wolf. At times like these it’s best if we wear him out until he passes out, or else, he will continue to attack and even hurt someone.”

He guesses that’s already been established.

Sanji lets out a very deep sigh, as though his alarm clock just went off but he doesn’t want to wake up yet. He scratches the back of his neck and, finally, his eyes land on Zoro’s red ones, “seriously, all you do is confuse the hell out of me.” He says, and attempts to head to him.

“No!” Robin squawks, “He’ll hurt you! What part of he doesn’t recognize anyone don’t you understand!”

“Quiet!” Sanji hushes and everyone does as order, “do you honestly expect me to just stay still like a startled rabbit and watch as he sabotages my apartment and tears apart your skin with his shoes still on?”

“This is serious!” Frank berates, helplessly.

“So am I!” Sanji counters, now facing the feral Alpha. “Zoro, get your furry ass over here.” He pats the unoccupied space beside him, but Zoro snarls at him instead.

“Forget about it,” Usopp winces, “somehow, he’s stronger and I have no idea how that happened.”

“He’s attacked you because of me.” Sanji informs the stray faces who gawk at him, “that’s why it’s my job to get him back to his senses.”

They watch as Sanji sits up properly while grunting, and slowly makes his way towards a growling Zoro, “shut up” he orders again, coyly this time, “don’t make it sound like I’m trying to skin you for a stupid rug.” He says, his hand already stretching toward Zoro’s forehead. The latter lets out another vigorous growl and Sanji winces when the new wound on his neck throbs out of the blue.

“Shit, is this what you were so worried about that you sent me away?” Sanji exclaims, “Why didn’t you say anything then? I already know that you turn into this so why hide it?” he allows his lips to twitch, “am I that fragile in your eyes? Is that how you see me?” he wonders aloud, “Answer me!” He bellows when the other remains silent. Zoro snarls at him in return, but it’s not hostile. “If it’s my blood that’s causing this barrier, I’ll let you have it, but if your worry is something different then how am I supposed to help you if you don’t reach out to me? I need you, but say you need me too. I’m not that useless, I fucking confronted a Jiangshi but the damn thing was awfully sweet!” He sobs, tearlessly. “He smiled to me in a manner you never have! He said he wanted to meet me again and that’s something you took away from me when you sent me away!” instead of touching his forehead, Sanji punches him right on the nose and it gains him several aggressive snarls from the rest of the pack. He ignores them and straddles Zoro after the latter tottered to the ground, “I don’t care how it ends, just let me at your side, Zoro…” he nears said man’s ear, “let me be your anchor.”

“Your blood,” Zoro says after some unbearable seconds of complete silence, longest seconds of Sanji’s life, and he perks up to look at the man beneath in his graceful human form. “At first, I thought me being drawn to you was something chiefly based on how purely human you are. I know, it sounds stupid, but after I heard the story about you having magic in your veins, I started to think that maybe that’s why I was drawn to you, just like the Gumiho.” Zoro hides his eyes with his forearms, “I can’t bear it. I smelled a foreign scent on you earlier and I lost it. I wasn’t actually trying to have your blood–”

“You stupid furball–” Sanji cuts him off, “losing control over something so stupid like that, you deserve a punch from everyone in this room.”

Zoro sits up with Sanji’s help, and eyes his pack members and the damage he’s caused, “yea, I kind of think I do.”

Keimi wipes away her tears and hunches over to hug her Alpha, “Mr. Ronoa!” she cries, “Don’t scare us like that again!”

“I won’t.” He tells to mollify her, but it’s no empty promise, “I have my anchor now.” He hints, and peeks at Sanji at that. The latter blushes and quickly breaks their eye-contact.

The rest of the pack nears their Alpha and they all snuggle in one big warm hug, even Robin joins in, despite her Alpha werewolf allergy. Sanji looks at them with an amiable smile, and just then, Zoro glances up at him,and offers his hand to him, Sanji takes that hand and joins the hug, assured that Zoro’s arm is around his back, securing, until a thud sound is heard.

“What, he’s fallen asleep?” Nami wonders, and the rest either smiles or chuckles at the sight of Zoro’s tired face leaning on Sanji’s chest.

“He’s fought us all, he must be tired.” Luffy theorizes.

“Don’t forget he’s been outside for hours looking for Sanji.” Keimi winks at said man, and this information does wonders to Sanji’s stomach. He blushes when their eyes land on his.

“Thank you, everyone, I’ve troubled you.” He bows his head slightly, inadvertently running his hand through Zoro’s hair.

“Silly.” Nami gently hits his head, “you’re part of the pack.”

“What’d we do without our pack mom?” Frank offers his smile.

“Prepare yourself, from now on” Usopp starts, and Luffy continues for him, “He is never going to let you out of his sight.”

 

 

**.:.The Alpha's Mage.:.**

 

 

If Dracula bit you, you’d either become a vampire or simply die.

Zoro isn’t a vampire, but the Jiangshi is –or was– and a Jiangshi –or Gangshi– isn’t just a wandering zombie with a tag glued onto their forehead, a Jiangshi is, sadly, a (hopping) vampire, and Sanji was bitten pretty badly by his old shark-teeth friend. So, shouldn’t he turn into one, or _die_?

But, unfortunately, it doesn’t stop here. If you were bitten by a werewolf too, you either become a werewolf, or die (yea dying is just part of the deal whether you like it or not)… (Because freaking supernatural powers are reserved that's why). And Zoro _is_ a werewolf, and he even gave Sanji a brazen bite while going berserk on a full moon night, so doesn’t it mean anything?

 _Sanji_ didn’t just get bitten by one creature at a time. No, he went out and got bitten by two mythicals –not so mythical anymore– at the same night. So if he was going to turn into something, what could it possibly be?

 

Sanji decides to put Zoro on his bed, and after the grueling exercise of trying to walk up to his room with the weight he’s dragging at his side getting heavier, he notices that he can’t enter the room. As the questions arise, he calls Usopp and tells him to hold Zoro up so he’d figure out just what is wrong with his room embarrassing him now of all times, and when he enters, he does it freely. He tells Usopp to get Zoro now inside but when he tries, a spark of light, or electricity, cracks, and Usopp groans.

“I can’t get in,” he says, begrudgingly.

“That’s…” Sanji starts but he quickly reels his head to look at Robin, “is this the barrier you were talking about?”

Said girl crosses her arms proudly over her chest, “indeed.”

They seat themselves on the floor of the living room –or what’s left of it anyway. Sanji isn’t as ungrateful and insensitive as to let Zoro sleep on the floor, even though the real ungrateful bastard is Zoro for sabotaging his apartment. So he puts the man over one of the slightly damaged sofas and lifts his head just a little so he can sit, and soon places Zoro’s head is on his lap.

 

They exchange hasty glances with each other under an atmosphere heavy with silence.

“You start.” Usopp says decisively in undertone, his eyes glued on Sanji’s.

“I don’t see how telling you what happened would change or fix anything” he concludes, “it’s not going to fix my house that’s for sure.” He says indignantly, and gives his house a commiserating look.

“I’m going to explain why it is important for you to tell us everything, and I’m going to be very honest about it.” Frank offers despite the fervent sideways glances he receives from his pack mates, “there’d been intruders, many of them, and just to be clear this started once your vessel was activated. But it’s strange because that has never happened before, and if there was an intruder, we took care of them in the blink of an eye and usually they didn’t stand a chance. I mean the Ronoa family has always protected these lands and everyone is familiar with their territory, and thus we never enhanced our trainings except for what the Alpha has taught us. I’m ashamed to say, but I promised to be completely honest so…”

“Just get to the point.” Sanji says for him, his brows furrowing slightly.

“With all the threats and the impending risks, we decided our trainings weren’t sufficient, so we started developing new skills and techniques. Seeing that we’re werewolves, it wasn’t much of a problem, really.” Frank finds his clenched hands very interesting so he keeps on looking at them, “We, no. _I_ never realized recently that the one attracting those threats was actually you.”

The gleam in Sanji’s eyes wanes and he ponders, staring slightly before him. But the bomb Frank, the guy Sanji admires, threw has just delivered the punch, the aftereffect is still to linger and reveal painfully slowly.

“So even if we trained a lot, the problem was still there. As long as you have that Imugi’s power running through your veins, troubles will never end and creatures that are aiming at your blood will continue to come one after the other. It’s only a matter of time before they decide to strike at once, so how are we supposed to prevent that?”

“So you sent me away” Sanji guesses the rest, “and while it looked like you were doing it for my sake, you were actually just replacing a decoy where your eyes can see.”

“We did send you away but it really was for your sake.” Nami intervenes, “It’s true that making you a decoy to kill the intruders wasn’t much of a bright plan but–” She is trying to explain their reasons when Robin instantaneously cuts her off.

“Disgusting,” she utters, “you people are disgusting!”

“We were just trying to protect this town, and it’s not like we only kept him where our eyes could see. We were always following you to make sure you guys weren’t hurt!” Luffy protests, “So be grateful.”

“Grateful?” Robin barks, grudgingly, “for what? For getting him so badly hurt?” she asks, disbelievingly, “Your super noses lost his scent at the first drop of rain, and your _decoy_ got half of his neck gnawed at by a Jiangshi and I didn’t see you flashing your yellow eyes or beating the crap out of it. Not much of a bright plan?” she scoffs, “believe me your perception of the term is flawed.”

“It was actually my plan and I’m sorry.” Frank looks down, his shoulders sagging apologetically, “I thought that instead of trying to locate every intruder, we’d had better just deal with the source. I never thought Sanji so would get hurt.”

“Well, he did!” Robin fires back, “and here you are preaching us about how ungrateful we are. Well, screw _you_!”

“Robin.” Sanji peers up at her, a look of reproach flashes for a second. “It’s fine. I kind of understand.”

“But Sanji why aren’t you saying anything about this?” she relents with the same look of amicable reproach, “They practically were the reason why you were attacked and God knows what that Jiangshi did to you! I mean I saw how Zoro lost his head there because of your scent so I can’t help but worry.”

“That’s _Mr. Ronoa_ to you!” Usopp berates.

“It still doesn’t change how much of a dandy asshole he is.” Robin berates back.

“Watch your mouth, wench!” Luffy takes part of the quarrel because it’s fun to pick on someone who stands up to you.

“Oh! I’m scared.” Robin vibrates in mock horror, “are you going to wag your doggy tails at me? Or perhaps scare me with your flashy eyes?” she shakes her head with a scoff.

“No, but I can rip off your throat with my fangs,” Usopp says, looking attentively at the girl.

“Oh my god, I’m terrified.” She says in monotone, “So why didn’t you try to scare the Jiangshi with that, huh?”

 

_So what, did Zoro lie to him?_

_No, that can't be the case because he never said the opposite either. He did say it was safer if Sanji went home though. He doesn't know what to think anymore, but he knows that he’s causing people a lot of inconvenience. Is he being naive? Is he really useful as just a decoy and that's all there is?_

Sanji rubs the back of his neck while a sigh decides to leave his lungs. He’s not sure whether what he has to say would change anything or not, but massaging his neck definitely feels good, and for a moment, he can’t hear their quarrels anymore as he closes his eyes and the restful feeling washes over him. His hand is slowly cupping the bite marks and a haze of white looms before his closed eyes, images of the Jiangshi flash, launching on him and gnawing at his neck, and then a werewolf too. He can only hear that scream he let out, he must have sounded like a scared girl. But the throb in his neck turns into a full blown pounding, even tightening his hand over the bite marks can’t conceal these feelings anymore. He’s had enough of them. He just wants to open his eyes and join their quarrel. Heck, it doesn’t sound like a bad idea now. What was that, he used him as bait? He can work with. His eyes shut close and he can even hear his heartbeat frisking with every fleeting second,

Oh.

Is he turning now?

“Ah...” he pants, slumping more against the cushions.

“Look at me,” someone says, gently. His voice is familiar. “Sanji, look at me.”

_He’s trying, god damn it!_

Sanji’s head slides to the armrest, and he feels like he can breathe more freely now.

“Shit, what if he’s turning…” a female’s voice, probably Nami’s, and the rest of what she said next gets mumbled as Sanji’s body goes slack.

He parts his eyes open and blown irises catch sight of a door, the same door from his last nightmare. Something swirls behind it, something like a shadow of a giant snake.

_Why is it all the creepy things happen to him only, it’s unfair!_

“Why do you not open this door?” a deep almost inhuman voice rumbles.

“Who’s there?” Sanji rotates around like a curious cat, “who are you?”

But of course the mysterious owner of that voice doesn’t reply, typical creeper behavior.  Is there some sort of Creeper’s Guide from which these things pick their norms, it’s not funny! You hear that, you giant worm? The dark shape behind the door swirls more like a serpent, alluring Sanji to walk closer, which he does because, shit, where else is he supposed to go seeing that there’s darkness everywhere he looks.

“You know, this is just a nightmare. I’d probably wake up sweating and all but that’s it, that’s why I don’t mind if you’re going to spook me once I open that door.”

The other lets out a reverberating laugh, “what an amusing lad.”

Sanji grits his teeth in hesitation. “So no funny business, we clear?” he says aloud. He doesn’t want any jump scares, thank you. “I’m opening the door, alright?”

He pushes the door very gently, careful if something shows up, something like a deformed face or a bloody-headed ghost. You’ll know what he means if you watch too much horror movies. Sanji is gaping, astonished by what he’s just seen.

“A-are you the Imugi?” he wonders while goggling at the impressively long and hornless creature before him. He switches to look at its scaled arms and legs now, jaw slack with shock, “Awesome!” He half expects to see Hiccups riding Toothless and flying through the room.

“Are you not afraid?” The Imugi asks, and the darkened room vibrates, which is more interesting because Sanji can still see the creature.

“Afraid?” he echoes, flippantly, “Well, if you were a _ghost._ ”

The Imugi laughs some more, but it’s not like his head is tilting to the back or his jaw moving when he talks, it’s something similar to telepathy in its nature. This actually reminds him of the voice he heard right before he turned the table on that vampire. It’s getting weirder.

“Aren’t you a brave one?”

Sanji scratches his cheek and blushes, “oh stop it you.”

“Come, sit.”

And Sanji does.

He surveys his surroundings, tries his best to peer through the darkness but in vain. “So where is this?” he prompts, “A cave?” Ha, a cave and a half-fledged dragon, get it?

“This” –the Imugi snakes, now shining and golden chains appear wrapped around his serpent-like body– “is your dream.”

“So what are you doing in my dream?” Sanji shrugs nonchalantly. He’ll just humor the reptile; everything sounds like a bad episode of Doctor Who thrown in with some Merlin. “And by the way, what are those chains for?”

The Imugi laughs again and Sanji rolls his eyes, “you pry, kid.”

Sanji nods his head, apparently agreeing with this creature and Zoro already asserted that, “I’ll zip it.”

“Many years ago, when bravery was the sole pride of warriors, I served a great king. He was a good man who loved his people and his people loved him, but he didn’t like being a king. He was fonder of searching for adventures and going on self-discovery journeys. A brave man he truly was.” The Imugi recounts, “He assigned me to a heavy but honorable duty, to protect his town, and Imugis are benevolent in nature. That is why I didn’t refuse him a request.”

Sanji’s never seen a meal gushing ‘I’m delicious, eat me’ but, again, butchered rendition of Doctor Who.

“That’s pretty cool. I mean he must have trusted you a lot.” Sanji comments, avidly.

“He did, and I protected that town with all I had in might. But I was a growing Imugi back then, not fully grown yet.” The Imugi’s voice goes even deeper, “one day, there was an enemy attack and we fended them off brazenly. I can never forget their fearless faces as we fought the enemy.”

“So what happened? Did you guys win?” Sanji arches his eyebrow up, eyes expectant.

“Sadly, we did not.”

“Come on, now!” Sanji whines, flailing a hand, “So why did you make me sit through that story in the first place?”

“But there was a man, a sorcerer. He wasn’t evil or an enemy. He was part of the town I tried to protect.” He adds, sedulously.

Sanji lifts a brow.

“Why don’t I show you?”

A white light flashes, swallowing the darkness, and Sanji covers his eyes as a gust of wind strikes uninvited. A slosh is heard, and Sanji slowly opens his eyes, finding himself in an urban area that is not completely vacant. He looks at the ground and realizes that the slosh he’s heard was actually his foot stepping into a pound of blood; and then a scream echoes around, sending Sanji after its sources. He comes upon a place that is in havoc, old cottages gone aflame, shipwrecks afloat along the stretch of the beach, that are too on fire, lifeless bodies lying on the ground and swords, spears, bows and arrows scattered here and there. He sees the giant Imugi sending white balls tangled with a tinge of bluish fire from his mouth, and once those balls touch the ground, they explode and the enemies are sent flying like fireworks in New Year eves. He hears their screams evaporate into the wind. Just then, he sees a man in a black, torn cloak and leaning on a wooden crook, followed by a middle-aged woman in a gown which hems the mold has eaten. A rumbling sound like thunder is heard: an explosion. And suddenly the Imugi lets out a loud roar and slowly fans to the ground, the man and the woman dash to him. Sanji follows suit.

“The royal swordsmen have been defeated, there is no hope for this town, let us flee.” The woman beseeches, her hands ghosting over the Imugi’s burnt scales agilely.

“Flee to where?” the man shakes his head, and sags, panting, “We cannot abandon the town.”

“You saw it, too!” She looks at him, imploring eyes on his, “they have weapons that can fly and explode. The Imugi will not last long if they hit him again.”

The Imugi’s body swirls and he slowly jerks up, “I have a duty to fulfill” he tells them, “your concern is misplaced, help the injured.”

They both look at the Imugi with furrowed brows, and then the man holds the woman from her shoulders, rocks them firmly and looks directly into her eyes, “take our Apis and leave town. Go through the forest and towards the mountain pass so the enemy won’t see you. I will stay here and help.”

“You can’t mean –” she gasps.

He looks down for a second, “It is the inevitable. I cannot hide anymore, they have to know.” He tells her, wrinkles round his small eyes. “Also, I am not using magic for evil so rest assured. Now off you go.”

She shares an affirmative with him and scurries away. The man lets out a sigh and rushes to an injured warrior thrashing at the side, he turns the body and asks the man where the pain is coming from, but the warrior coughs blood and it clogs his airway. The other places a hand over his chest and closes his eyes, and light glows from his hand. The warrior slowly wakes up able to speak and unharmed. The warrior fetches his bow and his quiver and bows in gratitude for the man, and the sorcerer goes off to help as many as he can.

Another explosion quakes the earth as it hits the giant reptile. It brings smoke out of the Imugi’s scales and head, and again, he slowly slides onto the ground.

The sorcerer scurries towards him.

“Let me be of help to you,” the man says, “let me honor your duty.”

“I am in no need of a sorcerer’s aid.” the Imugi spurns, feebly.

“Nonsense,” the man disagrees, “I’ll lend you my magic, and you’ll become stronger.”

“Stronger?”

“Yes!” the sorcerer exclaims, “then you can fulfill your promise to the king. However, it is a bit risky in your state. Your body might not be able to compass the energy flow, and you might die.”

“I do not care about risks.” The Imugi jerks up again, “lend me your strength, sorcerer.”

“My pleasure!”

Once the sorcerer touches the scales of the soon-to-become dragon, and a golden light glows from the man’s hand and the Imugi lets out a louder, more alive, hair-raising and spine chilling roar. He parts his jaws and a blue beam of focused energy strikes like a horizontal waterfall, and his grey scales heal as new.

Sanji’s body starts moving forward, as though gliding on imaginary inline skates, and then he’s on the deck of a ship, an enemy’s. He inspects around some more and sees barrels, lots of them. He opens one, this acrid and sour scent, like spent cordite reminds him of something.

 _Gunpowder!_ He gasps, _that’s what they’ve been hitting the Imugi with. There must be some primitive explosives around here. He decides to throw the barrels to the waters._

 _Don’t!_ The Imugi’s voice speaks in Sanji’s head, _this is the past, what’s done can’t be undone._

Sanji watches as the shipmates take a couple of barrels and poor their contents into a small container, set it on fire and send it flying by a cannon.

_No wonder you guys didn’t win the war, they’re practically screwing you over!_

The Imugi crawls closer to the shore and sends his energy concentrated balls followed by the waterfall of the strange light, and all the ships explode. Sanji rolls his eyes because he’s being sent flying again when the barrels next to him exploded. He opens his eyes and sees the Imugi’s body lying on the ground, and the sorcerer hovering by his side.

“Ryu!” A girl’s voice calls, “Ryu!”

Sanji turns around and sees a brown-haired, fierce-eyed young girl scurrying to where the Imugi is, and the same woman from before running after her, “don’t go there, it’s not safe!”

The girl pounces on the Imugi’s supposed-to-be neck (though he doesn’t suppose reptiles have a neck) and cries, “Ryu, you can’t die!”

“Apis, what is a girl your age doing in battlefield?” The Imugi asks, faintly.

“Mother wanted us to leave town but I cannot go anywhere without you!” She sniffles.

“It’s unsafe here, and I can’t go anywhere, Apis.” His eyelids close for a moment, but reopen when the girl sobs.

“We need to leave, too.” the man hollers, his voice low but vehement.

The girl bursts into an enormous sob and hugs the scales with her tiny hands, “he’s protected us all these years, we can’t just abandon him now that he’s dying.” She says, faintly.

The parents glance up at each other and the sorcerer nods to his child, “she’s right, and it’s partly my fault so please let me take responsibility for it.”

“How?” the two women inquire in unison.

“My magic is now blended with his blood, so all I need to do now is transform it to a new vessel so that he won’t die.” He explains, and then looks at his feet despairingly, “only, where can I possibly find a vessel.”

“Do you need a container? I can look for one.”

“No, I need a human vessel.”

The three fall silent, and the Imugi decides he doesn’t’ have time for that, “it does not matter whether I live or die, the king has already left the palace and help is coming from our neighbor emperor. So, sorcerer, take your wife and child and seek safety.”

“Ryu,” the girl pulls back to look into Ryu’s eyes, “I have been blessed by the most glorious gift, meeting you has undoubtedly changed my life to the better and I shall never regret being your friend, and I wish now that you do not die but live.” The tears blur her vision and she wipes them away with her sleeve, “if you die now, the king will be very sad, that’s why… that’s why you can’t die, because the king still needs you, the people of the town still need you, _I_ still need you!”

“Apis” the mother’s tone falls tender, “Ryu is badly injured and we cannot save him.”

“Father said he can transform whatever that is into a human vessel, right?” she addresses her father, “I can be that vessel.”

The mother’s knees buckle under her and she collapses to the ground, another explosion is heard from afar but it doesn’t seem like Apis and her father are affected.

“Let’s be part of the change, father,” she urges, “let them know that sorcerers are not evil, let us win the battle!”

The sorcerer’s zealous eyes are the last thing Sanji sees as his body gets pulled to the back and he wakes up in his sabotaged living room. He takes a fervent look around him and sees the pack huddled with each other on the floor and Zoro’s head still over his lap. Robin must have slept in her bedroom –formerly his parents’.

He checks his phone, 8:02 A.M. He must have dozed off because he seriously can’t remember what transpired after the neck massage. He stands up very slowly and rests Zoro’s head back on the sofa, and aims the bathroom.

“Hey, stupid gecko, can you hear me?” he asks the mirror, “Why didn’t you let me see the rest? What happened after that?”

Dead silence. He vaguely wonders if this is how Queen Grimhilde felt asking an object: Mirror Mirror on the wall, what happened to Apis in the war.

“Ryu, answer the god damn questions.”

 

 

 

In the kitchen, Sanji grabs eggs and bacon from the fridge after turning the rice cooker on.

Zoro is the first to depart from the realm of dreams. He goes into the bathroom and gets out minutes later, and the smell of bacon allures him into the kitchen.

“Oh, good morning, furball” Sanji gushes over the loud sizzling noise, “did you sleep well?”

“Like a baby.” The other nods, and takes a bite from the toasted bread.

“Of course” Sanji presses his lips tight and grins from ear to ear, “You must have been awfully tired. I mean going on a rampage and turning into a bigger red-eyed furball that chews on people must have been very tiring.” he scoffs, turning around, and at the sight of the latter’s body stiffening under the brunt of the accusation, Sanji regrets his words.

“Let me see,” Zoro says gently, taking a step towards the other.

“I was just kidding,” Sanji waves a lackadaisical hand and faces the oven again, “” It’s not that bad.”

“Let me see, Sanji.” The other demands, deep voice making Sanji weak at the knees.

Sanji gnaws at his bottom lip and turns towards the man who is now standing right before him. “If it makes you happy,” he breathes out on an irritated sigh.

Zoro scowls and fixates his eyes on the bite marks, only “There’s nothing.”

Sanji’s eyes widen “what’ you mean there’s nothing?”

“I mean there are no bite marks whatsoever.” The other repeats, accusingly.

Sanji rushes towards the bathroom again and after a moment, a shout ricochets off the tiled walls, “Man, this is super awesome!” He walks out with a look of astonishment that makes him look comical, “can you believe this!” He rubs at his neck gingerly while making his way back to the kitchen.

“It’s the same as the other night,” Zoro points out, the furrow still deep across his forehead, “your wound disappeared back then, too.”

“Yea, I remember now” Sanji gushes more, “I heal, too.”

“What the hell are you?” Zoro says, offhandedly, “a freak or something” he says, making an expressive ‘whatever’ with his brows.

“Well, at least I don’t turn into an ugly hairball.” Sanji jeers.

Zoro curves a brow at him, sauntering right into his space and his fingers clasping Sanji’s sweatpants by the loops, “you didn’t.”

Sanji bites his lower lip again, and it’s against his consent that the action is very suggestive, as though he’s waited for Zoro to do something so daring like this. “Believe it.” He drawls.

Zoro rests his hands on either side of Sanji’s hip, his lips curling into a mischievous smirk.

Sanji melts under the intimate touch. Anymore and he’ll turn jelly. He slides his hands up to the man’s broad shoulders and locks them behind his neck. “What, are you going to bite me again?”

“I can do a lot worse than that,” Zoro threatens, but the tone his voice has succumbed to is playful.

“I’m scared.” Sanji purrs, on cue. “So what’ you gonna do to me, then?”

Something indistinct flashes across Zoro’s face, Sanji fails to capture it, and he leans in closer to Sanji’s neck and breathes in. The latter tilts his head a little and closes his eyes as Zoro rubs the tip of his nose along his neck, very slowly, teasingly, and Sanji clutches at the other’s hair, Zoro’s smirk deepens. He places his lips under Sanji’s earlobe now, deliberately making his lips twitch to cause pleasurable frictions.

“You’re aroused,” he whispers into Sanji’s ear, and his voice sounds so sensual that Sanji feels spirals at his feet. “I can smell it.”

Sanji shuts his eyes and bows his head because the delirium is dangerous, he might drown, “yea?”

Zoro slides his tongue on Sanji’s earlobe, making the blond shudder, and then he thrusts that tongue inside the ear.

“Don’t stir me up.” Sanji winces in a low groan.

“That’s asking for the impossible,” Zoro chuckles gently and the resultant vibration does wonders to Sanji’s body.

“ _Fuck_ …” he lets out a lengthy, voluptuous moan, like a wanton cry which Sanji’s embarrassed to the roof and back for letting out, “bastard, told you not to stir me up.”

As though goaded on, Zoro grabs a fistful of Sanji’s hair and pulls his head rearward, rough in his treatment. His eyes flash red, and for that fraction of a second where their eyes meet, Sanji’s heart almost stops. “I want to bite you so bad.”

“I’m not really happy to hear that,” someone says from the back, in monotone.

“Thank you for stopping those two!” Robin appears from her bedroom in floral PJs which Sanji paid 24 dollars for, “I was afraid it was too late to show myself.”

Sanji, more focused now, looks over Zoro’s shoulder and sees Usopp scratching his backside.

“I –” he starts, “we weren’t...” he mutters, and recoils from their embrace altogether, shoving Zoro’s face away with a light slap, “it’s not like that, really, ha-ha!”

“Have you already forgotten about our super hearing?” Keimi reminds him, backcombing her hair with her claws to make a messy Quiff.

“And now I can smell that again!” Luffy groans, “You guys have no self-awareness? There are people sleeping in here, too.”

Sanji blushes and cups his face, “I totally forgot,” he mumbles, sheepishly, “sorry.”

“You guys need a room, _alone._ ” Nami comments, her finger pointing at said two males.

 

 

As the kids clean and put in order the place where they’re going to eat, Sanji seizes the chance to peek at Zoro, and the other smiles to him, a painfully empty smile.

 

“So like I said,” Usopp recounts on a mouthful, “your heart was beating like crazy, we thought you were turning or something, and then you didn’t move and Mr. Ronoa tried to awake you several times. Then he told us you fell asleep, just like that.”

“But why didn’t you turn?” Keimi asks, curious eyes sparkling.

Sanji shrugs a shoulder and drinks his shake. They should be happy he didn’t turn, no one was ready to look after a Dumbo octopus. No matter how cute it’d be.

“The Imugi probably has something to do with this,” Robin speculates, “just like how your wounds disappear.”

“So who’s Ryu?” Frank asks out of the blue, and Sanji chokes on his milk. Which, God, looks ugly; it’s all over his mouth like a BJ gone awry.

 “Mm,” he starts, and glances over at Zoro after placing his glass on the table and wiping the splatters off his jaw with the back of his hand, “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something, it’s kind of important.”

Zoro looks at him and then goes back to eating, “I’m listening.”

“You see, I’m starting work tomorrow, and I can’t leave Robin alone.” He scratches his temple, “I was wondering if you could help me get her into school, I mean she can at least attend half of the semester.”

“Don’t decide things for me!” Robin stands up to protest.

“Sure,” Zoro blurts, and drinks from the cup.

“Hey now, don’t decide to act all caring only when it’s convenient. You’ve done enough.” She rebukes, “we don’t need you and I alone can protect Sanji.”

“Sure.” Zoro shrugs again.

“ _Hey_!” she berates, her tone recriminatory, “drop the act and just admit it, you failed to protect him.”

Zoro doesn’t say anything back, and Sanji puts a hand on her shoulder to conciliate her, “Now now, you shouldn’t talk to people like that. None of it matters now, we’re safe now and that’s all I care about.”

“I’m not going to school,” she insists, “or else how can I protect you–”

“Knock it off, Nic Robin!”

Silence veils the room for a moment, Zoro lifts his eyes, scans the stupidly shocked faces gaping at Robin and Sanji. He looks at Robin’s red cheeks and her confused eyes, and finally, he looks at Sanji’s sorrowful countenance.

“I'm seriously fed up with you going on and on about protecting me, who said I needed your help? I don’t want kids protecting me and I certainly don’t need _your_ protection, okay? In fact, I don't need protecting. I can take care of myself.” He huffs. Why was nobody there when his chest glowed last night. He also cringes at his spat words. The long days of stifling what he’d really felt has frayed his patience too thinly and now he is hitting out at a damn kid. “Not going to school is enough of a problem,” he returns his hand over her shoulder and smiles coyly to her, “you’ve missed out a lot, so don’t make your life about me and just live how _you_ want to live. Go to school, meet new friends and learn new things, it can be fun.”

“But” she nibbles at the inside of her cheek, “you…”

Sanji relents with a smile and ruffles her hair, “I’ll be fine. I made it this far, didn’t I?”

“I heard school sucks.”

“It does, but not always.” He chuckles, “And who knows, you might even meet someone.”

She blushes at the indication because the thought has never crossed her mind but the rest look at Usopp instead.

“No way!” they tease him, “You like her!” Nami gushes in a bold statement.

Amongst the lively ruckus, Zoro places his empty dish and glass into the kitchen sink and goes to pick up his coat from the hat stand. Sanji follows him and waits with his arms crossed over his chest as the other wears his loafers.

“Are you coming over tonight?” Zoro asks, now adjusting his coat from the lapses.

“Mr. Ronoa,” someone calls from the living room, and by the mumbled voice, it must be Usopp talking with his mouth full again. The little punk, being a werewolf doesn’t mean you can act like you’ve been raised in a barn. “It’s a school night today and we’re not going to come over to yours, so it’s best if he doesn’t go either.”

Zoro and Sanji look at each other, and they can perfectly read the warning behind Usopp’s words.

“I don’t know, maybe” Sanji wets his lips, “I have work to do, so.”

“Suit yourself then,” Zoro says, “sorry for devastating your house.”

“Yea, I’m still sending you the bill.” Sanji threatens, almost sarcastically.

“You do that.” Zoro nods, “Later.” He waves a nonchalant hand and finally leaves and closes the door behind him.

Sanji stands rooted to the spot, uncertain of what to think or what to ignore, what to put in mind or what to overlook. The talk about him being a decoy, and Zoro’s confession the night before (or was he reading too much into it), and Sanji himself being indifferent, or rather being demanding and wanting something more from Zoro is just too much work, and he’s lost.

“Shit…” he curses in a small mumble.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Shantell for doing an amazing job with the proofreading of the first two chapters. I never had the chance to thank you properly which makes me feel like a jerk. So, I hope you accept this.

 

 

“Don’t get too cozy just because it’s Sunday, you still need to clean up the mess you made.” Sanji announces once he’s back inside, sneers when they groan and complain that it was Zoro’s fault so he should be the one doing the fitting, which Sanji agrees with. That walking fur ball got right under his nose, so sneaky.

Frank comes into the kitchen moments later and paces behind Sanji who is now washing the dishes at the sink, “Say, Sanji” he makes an aborted movement, as if he wants to scratch his forehead but decides not to. “It’s so bright outside which got me wondering if you want to hang out, I mean you don’t have work today, do you?”

Sanji smiles to himself and closes the tap, his work is done here. He turns around now, “alright, where to?”

Frank’s face brightens up and he wets his lips fervently, “Been thinking the–”

A muffled knock interrupts him and Sanji excuses himself to go see who is at his front door, and he isn’t surprised to see his old neighbor, hand fisted midair.

“Good morning, Mrs. Tsuru.”

“Oh dear,” her beams falls, “you’re becoming paler each day, do you eat at all?”

He narrows his eyes at her in response.

She chuckles, “Oh well, I came to see if everything is fine. I heard loud noises last night coming from your apartment.”

“Oh,” Sanji clears his throat, “it was just me fixing the wall, sorry for being loud. I must have disturbed you.”

“Not at all,” she shakes her head, “but then again, I have a complaint to make.”

Sanji props his brows at her.

“Why didn’t you pick my calls last night, Law was here and I wanted you to meet him.” –Sanji sighs and looks away for a second, nose flaring. He is so not ready for this.–“You also think I’m lying, don’t you?” –He shakes his head and parts his lips to say something but she beats him to it–“It’s fine.” She mumbles, “Maybe I am becoming senile, but I know my grandchild was here last night, because I touched him and he felt warm, his smile was alive.” –Sanji looks at her with a look of dread and confusion about his face. Did she just say ‘alive’? Oh, the irony!–“He’ll come back to see me again, he promised, and when that time comes, I want you to be here too, I want you to see how much he’s changed, he’s become a real man, Sanji.” She sighs, wistfully.

Said man is glad that she finally decided to go back to her own apartment since she’d left food in the oven to be cooked. “My life is strange, I swear.” He tells himself as he walks inside, where he finds all the kids readying themselves to leave, “you guys are leaving?”

“Change of plans” Nami informs, steadily.

Sanji looks over at Frank now, and the guy averts his eyes.

“We need to meet our Alpha, there’s something he must know.” Luffy explains, and Keimi finished for him “We’re still going out to hang out so don’t forget to get ready around four or five.” Keimi reminds.

“Seems you’ve set your mind, just be careful,” he tells them, and he receives a nod from everyone.

 

Sanji and Robin have decided to go grocery shopping and the former brought wall panels and planks along because Zoro crafted holes in his apartment that people could trip on. They’re back around midday with a lot of bags and a few wood boards, and Robin offers to make lunch which grants her a questioning stare from Sanji.

“You bought me the phone, and today you bought me that cute dress, at least let me repay you with a meal even if I can’t surpass your cooking skills. I can still cook you know.” She justifies.

“Just don’t burn my kitchen,” He jokes, good-naturedly.

“Maybe I’ll poison your food.” She jokes back, grinning like a mania.

None of them notices Sanji’s phone vibrating in the other room.

 

After three and a half, Sanji walks out of the bathroom looking like an eggplant smothered in musky-flavored aroma, sawdust and sweat down the drain. Cock pleased.

He goes into his room and puts on his denim jacket over a red flannel, dons his jeans and finally sprays some cologne all over his chest and face. He looks at his hair in the mirror, ruffles it a little to the side, and _voila_! He’s all set to go.

 

“I’m not sure if this is good for Usopp’s heart.” He comments once Robin walks out of her room, wearing the floral dress he brought for her.

She shies away from his comment and swivels towards the front door, “shut up and let’s go,” she huffs, “they’re waiting at the gate outside.”

As expected, Usopp almost gets a nosebleed when the Robin gets out and a sudden wind flutters her dress. Sanji counts them and he notices that two heads are added, “Hoshi!” he gushes and smiles widely at her, “I can’t believe it, so you two are really going out?”

Said girl blushes and Frank wraps his arm around her neck, “I know how dear you are to her so you and I are basically rivals.”

“Are you going to fight again?” Shirahoshi slaps him on the head, and yanks him closer by the collar.

Sanji smiles at their antics and leaves them be, there’s finally someone to put Frank in place whom the guy won’t dare raise a hand at. Sanji finds a new target to annoy. “Who’s this?” he points at the new guy with the green highlights.

“My boyfriend.” Shia Ah gushes and winds her hands around his arm.

The young man bows his head and opens his hand to shake Sanji’s “I’m Bart,” he says, “I’ve heard a lot about you from my Keimi, she admires you a lot!”

 _My_ Keimi, _my_?

Sanji doesn’t care about what Keimi has said about him, the guy is pushing his luck here talking as though Keimi is his thing. He is tempted to leave that outstretched hand hanging in the air, but Keimi’s brow-arch leaves him with little defiance. He only shakes that hand firmly, on cue, “you’d better work on making her happy or else I’ll make it so that you won’t hear anything for the rest of your life.”

The kid wrenches his hand from Sanji’s with a look of dread about his face, which soon wins him several sardonic comments from the rest.

There’s a red minivan parked by the curb of the sidewalk, Sanji spots it and spins his head around to give them his best imitation of _explain_ glare.

“Alright,” Nami capitulates. “It’s Usopp’s father’s car, he can’t drive it so it’s best if you do.”

“That’s why I was invited out?” He rolls his eyes dramatically and snatches the keys from Usopp’s hand, “devils, you guys are a pack of devils!”

Someone laughs from behind and he reels his head and glares at them, “in the car, _now_.” He opens the door to the driver’s seat and Frank takes the seat next to his, and for a second, the two of them exchange a look that can wage wars and spread famine.

“Play some music!” Luffy woos.

“Yea, make this a fun ride!” Keimi sheers from the side.

Sanji switches the ignition on and the car roars to life, the radio bursts with Soul King’s New Word on blast. He even turns up the volume for good measures. By orders from her majesty the queen, Nami, they stop next to a karaoke building and soon get a room. Sanji orders energy drinks and some snacks to go with, and they all have hell of fun, except for Usopp, the guy doesn’t know how to have fun. When they get tired of singing and dancing, they decide to steer the wheel to the amusement park.

“Wait” Keimi’s eyes are on the window on her side, “ _wait_ ” she prompts, fervently, “there’s an ice-cream parlor, how about we buy some?”

“They have ice-cream stands in the park too, wait until we get there.” Frank tells here, absentmindedly kneading at his thighs.

Just to spite him, Sanji pulls over and undoes his seatbelt, “wait here,” he tells them and extricates himself outside. He comes back later with seven servings of gelato, and everyone takes their share except for Frank.

“An angel,” Robin gasps, happily, “Sanji, you’re an angel!” She insists, now taking the head of the ice-cream between her lips.

“If you guys dirty the seats, I’ll throw you out.” Usopp threatens.

Sanji buckles his seatbelt again and veers off to the main road.

 

The minivan finally stops at the parking lot of the amusement park, and they fan out from the cramped vehicle, stretching and freshening up.

“Look at that Ferris wheel!” Bart gushes, innocent eyes radiant with happiness and excitement.

“What, never seen one?” Sanji teases, closing the door of the driver’s side, “don’t think I’ll let you two on that alone.”

 

After getting ditched at the entrance by everyone else, even Robin, Sanji, much to his surprise, realizes he is the driver in this outing. He comes across a milk can toss stand, though he knows that most of the games here that look easy to win, are not, but he’s by himself and when you’re by yourself, there’s no one to stop you from doing something foolish like losing your money on a stupid game that you’re bound to fail. An once-over at his empty sides portrays his reality. He shrugs it off and tries his luck. He aims, shoots and fails to hit the mark. These games are definitely a losing proposition but darn why are they so addictive? He tries again, and fails, but he tries the third time and rebukes himself that if he doesn’t win this then he should just go throw himself off of a bridge or something. This time he aims, shoots but fails to hit the mark, again.

He's not going to throw himself off a bridge, what are you, a suicidal?

“Screw this.” He tosses the toy gun to the seller and trudges away.

“Sanji!” Robin runs up to him. “I want to ride that one!” her hand motions at the Ferris wheel.

“Where’s that idiot Usopp, did he ditch you or something? I’ll break his claws!” He looks around at the crowded space, apprehensively.

“I’m right here,” said male announces right behind Sanji’s back.

“Oh my _G_ –” Sanji claps a hand to his chest, now looks up with reproach, “give a guy a warning before you decide to scare the life out of him!”

“Don’t faint.” Robin casts him an unimpressed stare.

He presses his lips at them and rolls his eyes, “okay, fine,” he breathes out, “here’s money, so go away”

“You’re coming with,” she tells him, “I want to go up there with _you._ ”

 

“Are you having fun?” He asks when they finally seat themselves inside and the large wheel rolls.

She props up appropriately and nods, “I should be the one asking you that.”

He looks out the window, braces his elbow on its sill and leans on his clenched hand, “to be honest, I’ve always been a lone wolf, interacting with people, going out on dates or having fun at karaoke’s, I’m not used to doing that.” He heaves a sigh, “when you’re a lonely child to two doting parents, there are a lot of things that get sieved out, but now that I’ve taken a taste of this, I’m afraid I’m getting too used to it.” He smiles, the expression so gentle.

Robin lifts up and sits next to him, “tell me” she urges.

“Company,” he tells her and clenches his fists, “yours, and theirs, it’s now irreplaceable, but I can’t help but think that one day you guys are going to leave and I’ll go back to my lonely island. I get clingy when I’m comfortable around someone and I just keep thinking that maybe they’re going to abandon me when they get fed up with me, and I can’t handle it, so I pull back first.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but” –She twines her fingers over her lap and furrows at him– “Zoro isn’t like that.” She says, “Doesn’t mean I like him, but I know that he cares for you. Whatever the kids do, they’re still kids.”

“You’re a kid yourself.” he juts his jaw towards her.

“Yes, but Zoro is an adult and being the way he is, maybe he’s the only one who knows what being lonely really feels like. I think that it’s okay to get clingy with him, maybe he’s the same as you but he’s a bit different about showing it, or maybe he’s just gotten too used to it that it doesn’t show on him, which is pretty depressing when you think of it.” She mumbles in an afterthought. “Not the point, what I’m trying to say here is that maybe you two won’t even need to get clingy to each other.”

“You’re still on about that, I told you he has a fiancée.”

“You really are an idiot, aren’t you?” She shakes her head, sadly. “Do you remember the bite he gave you last night?”

“Yea, what of it”

“You might think it’s just a bite and has no significance, but he actually marked you,” she points at his neck, “I can’t say ‘claimed’ because I just hate that guy and I don’t want to give him that privilege just yet” And because she isn’t sure yet.

“What do you mean marked?” He looks at her, eyes expectant.

“Well, he’s a werewolf, and an Alpha at that, and the alpha of a pack needs a mate. So when they –their inner wolf, decides that that person is perfect for taking up the role, they give them the bite. Though it’s exchangeable, and I’m not that familiar with how the story goes and even if I compare wolves to werewolves, it’s not like it’ll be the same.”

He stares blankly at her.

She starts, slowly as though couching a five year old “I’m saying Zoro chose you by instinct, and whether or not he has a fiancée doesn’t change the fact that he wants you as his mate.” She tells him, her gaze meeting his head on.

“Mate!” he chucks himself to the back.

“Yea, mate, you think you calmed him down last night with pure talent or something, talking about being his anchor and cheesy dreams when it was just the bite doing its magic.” She rolls her eyes now.

“Wait,” he covers his face for a second, “so does it mean I’m his mate now?” He blushes to the thought. He’s read about those several times during his researches on Werewolves, and now she’s saying he might be one.

“I can’t say for sure because the bite has already vanished, not even the marks are there so maybe even the effect is gone as well.”

“So he didn’t really bite me because he was attracted to the scent of my blood, did he?”

“God, do you ever listen when people talk!” She breathes through her nose now, “listen here, and I’m not going to say this again. Zoro had already started working on scent-marking you way before the seal was even activated, so it wasn’t really your blood attracting him. He said so himself last night, it was his” –she keens for a word– “jealousy, I guess.” She flicks her wrist, making a ‘whatever’ gesture with her hand. “You got bitten by the Jiangshi just before you came home which ticked off his inner wolf and he lost it because his to-be-claimed-mate had been bitten by another entity, but then the magic in your blood must have wanted to protect you so he went berserk after giving you the bite. He couldn’t even recognize his own pack which is really weird because alphas don’t become alphas on a whim. They’re born or sometimes chosen. So yea, it actually explains a lot why he said he had been afraid that your blood was the thing attracting him to you, I can totally relate. And maybe he sent you away because he was afraid of himself losing control, not because he wanted you safe at home, though it’d mean the same.”

“Wait, Frank and the others said they sent me to be the decoy.” He skims slender fingers through his hair, agilely.

“The bait” She corrects, head slanting in consolation. “You were sent to be the bait, Sanji. But...” she raises her gaze now “like I said, you never listen.”

“What’ you mean?”

“You must be thinking Zoro is a liar.”

Sanji avoids her eyes, his own shoulders slumping in defeat.

“Well, you need to listen well. Frank never said it was their Alpha’s plan. He didn’t even mention Zoro, but he clearly said it was his own plan, which means the pack acted up behind their Alpha’s back.”

Sanji’s eyes widen.

“I can totally hold that against him, it’d scatter his hopes and _zero_ would be the amount of fucks I give,” she shrugs “ _but_ , because you’re too kind and too forgiving, I can’t stand seeing you torturing yourself like this so I’ll just come out and say it.” She admits, “Luffy is the one who takes over when Zoro is away on business, work, pack wars or whatnot. But just before, they said they smelled the Jiangshi when it crossed the borders of their territory so instead of tracking it down, they tracked _you_ down, by _Frank’s_ orders. He also admitted that Zoro still has no idea about any of this, that’s why he didn’t say anything to you. Frank is a bit skeptical and to make matters worse, he’s scared out of his wits that now that the Alpha has finally marked you as his mate, he’d fight him in a battle to death.”

Sanji keeps on gazing, thoughtful countenance facing her.

“That’s why, everything that’s happened so far is just one big, terrible misunderstanding.” She pinches his cheek to make him chin up, “so don’t dwell on it too hard, you’ll get bald.”

“Can I trust you on this?” He asks, but his question clearly suggests something else, more personal.

“Yes,” she nods gingerly, “Zoro has really been thinking only for your good, the lot cares about you… agh!” she retches, “I just can’t like him!”

He chuckles and ruffles her hair, “no matter what comes outta that mouth of yours, you still are indulgent towards him.”

“Well, since he cares for you that much,” she mumbles, on a pout, “I guess he’s alright.”

He smiles amiably at her, chews on his bottom lip when something crosses his mind, “I want you to keep something a secret.” He says out of the blue.

“Yea, sure.” She nods, “anything.”

He rubs the back of his neck, “I still have an obligation towards Mia and thank him for yesterday, but if Zoro finds out, he won’t forgive me, maybe won’t even allow me close vicinity.”

“Wait.” she cuts him off, “we still don’t know if the effect of the bite is completely gone, and with the Alpha’s strong sense of scent, he’ll immediately know. I suggest you don’t rush anything. It’s not like I’m against you going out to see this guy, that’s the least we can do, but I also don’t want to risk it. What if Zoro goes berserk again, what if this time, you can’t calm him down and he ends up hurting his pack again, or worse, hurting _you_?”

They both demur.

“I think you just need to call and thank him without meeting him in person.”

“Somehow that’s disrespectful,” he groans, “I’m kind of starting to feel what you felt the other day.”

She presses her lips together in a manner that clearly says _told you so._

They fall into silence as the wheel rolls more and their cart nearly reaches the ground.

“You know, Sanji,” Robin starts, “this might be uncomfortable to you but I’ve liked you a lot.”

Sanji’s heart stops for a fraction of a second, but he quickly relents with a gentle smile, “I like you, too.”

“Thank you,” she sniffs and lowers her head, her hair covering most of her face, “I’d have never known that life was this fun if it wasn’t for you, but I’ll get over you. Usopp is not bad either. Actually, he’s pretty handsome and gentle, and he’s totally cool when he gets mad and I like the cute type, too.” She laugh cries.

Sanji looks at her covered face and her trembling shoulders, and he brings a hand to her head and pets her head, “Thank you.” He tells her in a soft whisper.

The Ferris wheel finally comes to slightly shaky stop.

“Usopp, why don’t you get in, it’s on me,” Sanji offers, head nodding to the cart they just walked out of.

Robin, though, doesn’t have any intention of letting him wander like a beggar alone, “give me your driving license.”

“What’ you want it for?” He protests but still takes it out of his wallet for her.

“You’re not our driver, and to tell you the truth, I won’t have a good time here knowing you’re still waiting for us to come back, and we’re a lot. I’ll do a little trick here so that you can go home.” She tells him and the two men watch attentively as she changes the photo on the card to Usopp’s face instead, “he can drive too” she smirks, oh the hints lading her line.

Sanji can’t help but feel proud because judging by what’s happened so far with her, Robin, although a teenager is actually a woman inside. “Stop acting like an adult,” he pokes her forehead, “now go back into the cart, it’s about to move.”

 

At the seat next to the window in the bus, Sanji closes his eyes for a quick nap, the whirr of the vehicle’s structure coaxing him to the land of dreams.

 

“So we meet again.” The Imugi states, rumbling voice shaking the entire room.

“Yea, meeting you for the second time isn’t much of an achievement I’m afraid to say.” Sanji flops onto the ground, blowing out a heavy sigh.

“We have met more than twice, lad.” Ryu points out.

“What?”

“To put it simply for you,” the Imugi starts, “whenever your consciousness slips away, you manifest here.”

“That’s a joke, right?” the other hacks out a derisive laugh.

“I’m afraid not.” Ryu denies, “or else, how do you explain the open door?”

Sanji scrutinizes at said door, “So why can’t I remember, huh?”

“That door is the barrier that kept me locked in here. It’s more like a seal than a barrier.” The Imugi swirls and his scales shine, “you came here once, defeated, and you opened the door which unlocked the barrier.”

Sanji’s lips gape and close like a fish.

“Yes,” Ryu insists, “It’s the reason why you’re a source of trouble now. Many others will want you as their vessel, because you opened that door.”

“It can’t be!” Sanji gasps as terror seizes his heart. “So what about my headaches, and my dreams?” he swallows fervently, “I figured that the pain is sort of a danger detector but I can’t be sure, maybe it warns me when a supernatural creature is around. I’ve come to this conclusion but I couldn’t tell anyone because I was afraid that it might not be the case.”

“But it is” the Imugi confirms, sliding forward, “your dreams are only fragments, images of your ancestors’ past.”

“So they aren’t predictions.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” The Imugi drones, “but the past is also part of the present; it won’t harm you to learn about it.”

“I remember now,” Sanji gets up and paces to and fro, “that Jiangshi! I remember I did something to that Jiangshi that –” the rest gets unarticulated as his body pulls backward. He hears someone calling him awake with a barely patient “this is your stop, please get off.”

 

Sanji walks along the sidewalk, going back on what the Jiangshi has said to him before he was jerked back to reality. And there it is by the building’s entrance, the beat-up bike waiting on him in spite of being neglected. A memory suddenly flashes of him riding the blue bicycle to Zoro’s, their little exploration trip in the kitchen this morning –he  blushes so hard he’s lucky no one is in his close vicinity to see it..

He drags a hand over its handlebars and sighs, “Let’s hope I don’t get rejected.”

 

He pedals over the hill road with ease, pleasant breeze caressing his sides and darkened leaves rustling in a slow, bewitching chant. Up the hill, among the towering pine crowns, Sanji catches sight of Ronoa’s residency, veiled by the starry sky safe for the dim light coming from a room upstairs like a lonely lighthouse, he guesses it Zoro’s.

As he approaches the house, he spots a figure by the porch, sky-gazing.

 

“I missed that spot.” Sanji admits once the wheels finally grind to a halt by the porch. Zoro, dressed in black sweats, looks up at him and pats the empty space beside him. Sanji smiles and parks the bike away, askew, and hops up the stairs to sit next to Zoro who offers him a can of beer. “I thought you were a spoiled kid who couldn’t hold his resentment against drinking cheap beer.” To his surprise, Zoro grabs a bottle of fine red wine from his other side and swirls it in his hand before Sanji’s eyes, a playful smirk crossing his lips. “Rich people,” Sanji huffs and turns his head to gaze up at the sky.

“Did you have fun with the kids?” Zoro asks out of the blue.

At the feeling of eyes on his profile, Sanji wills himself not to veer his eyes away from the sky. Besides, it’ll be easier to talk like this. “Usopp and Robin are together now. I think they’re going to start dating soon.”

“Kids are fast,” Zoro comments and sips a bit from the bottle, “well, good for them.”

Sanji supports his weight on his arms so that he can watch the sky without having to crane his neck, but after a moment, Zoro mirrors his posture and their hands are only a few inches away from each other. Sanji is admiring a shooting star and if he makes a wish, that’s nobody’s business but his, and he suddenly feels Zoro’s fingers intertwining with his. His heart hops under his ribs, beating so fast like a cat’s.

Zoro chuckles at the reaction. “Calm down.” He says, his judicious words well picked.

“Shut up,” Sanji retorts, trying to get over his embarrassment, “I know.”

Minutes flee until Zoro finally untwines their fingers, takes the bottle with him and stands up. “Don’t stay up too late,” he instructs, “good night.”

“Good night.” Sanji says without turning around.

The light Sanji’s seen in Zoro's room goes out so he calls it night as well.

He walks up to the usual sofa where he finds a quilt and a pillow, waiting to cuddle with him. Zoro must have placed them there he theorizes, now slipping off his jacket and his blue jeans, scattering them over the armrest. So, what, is he not welcomed to Zoro’s room anymore…?

“Oh my god, I can’t believe I just thought that!” He messes his hair and dips down with the fabric of the sofa when he finally sits.

 

In the morning, he wakes up to the glaring sun that’s managed to sneak up on him from the blinds of the large windows. He checks his phone for the clock, but only then does he see the three missed calls from the same number. It’s around seven thirty when Zoro comes down appareled in a beige dress shirt tucked in black pants, and saunters into the kitchen where the other is making breakfast. “Good morning” He greets drowsily and sits himself over a stool.

“Did you sleep well, fur ball?” Sanji asks, replacing a cup of hot coffee in front of him, a plate of pancakes, a bottle of honey and chocolate spread.

“Stop calling me that,” the other gnaws, sleepily, “how do you think I slept?”

“Not too good, I assume.” Sanji shakes his head and sits across the other at the counter to eat, “what got you so worked up?”

Zoro stares up, scowling at the other’s cheerful approach, “the coffee is a bit bitter than usual.”

“Well, I’m sorry.” Sanji bites out, “I don’t know how it usually is.”

“You used to make it a little bitter and a little sweet, I liked it that way.”

Sanji’s heart starts jogging again.

“Calm down.” The other sighs, as though he’s said it too many times it became a habit.

“Shut up!” Sanji grits out, “here” –he takes the honey bottle and pours some of it into Zoro’s cup– “bet it’s sweeter now.”

“You’re extreme.” Zoro berates, trying to take the honey out by the spoon before it melts, dedication in his cautious action, and for some reason, Sanji can’t get enough of watching that.

 

 “Are you sure you don’t want a ride?” Zoro asks for the second time now that they’re standing outside.

Sanji rides his bike and nods, “besides, got to work out all the meat I’ve been eating.” He fumbles with the bell and halts from time to time to gaze off into the distance.

“You’re fine the way you are.” Zoro blurts out and an awkward silence ensues.

“I should get going,” Sanji informs, his hand clasping at the handlebars. “I need to open the store.”

The other nods, but not moving from his spot so Sanji quickly pecks a kiss to his cheek like it’s the most natural fucking thing on the planet. He settles on his seat, foot spinning the pedals until the bike starts moving. A part of him isn’t willing yet to look behind at Zoro’s reaction to that sudden kiss.

 

He’s on the hill road when the white Mercedes passes him by, smooth and majestic.

 

“I missed you guys so much” he tells the items lined on the shelves, “I’m sorry for taking too long but I’m back now, and I promise I’ll take care of you.”

“It’s good to see you excited about work.”

Someone says from behind and Sanji whips around, finding the store owner smiling to him with a few features of fatigue crossing his eyes and cheeks.

“I hate sitting around doing nothing, besides, I like it here.” He reasons, giving the interior of the shop another fond once over.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Zeff nods in genuine agreement, “kids these days give up too soon if the work is too hard.”

“That’s actually a fact, sadly.” Sanji nods his head to his own statement, “but is everything alright, you don’t look too bright.”

“A bit tired I’m afraid to say,” The old man flails a hand shakily before he hooks it with the other behind his back, “but since you’re taking over for now, I should at least take it easy.”

“Please do that,” Sanji pleads. “I’m really excited about work and I think if I just follow the usual routine I can manage everything else by myself, so please take good care of your health and let me help you once in a while, too.”

Zeff smiles faintly and leaves after giving his shop an examination from his sharp eyes. Patting a hand on Sanji’s shoulder, the man nods, “you’re doing well, son.”

 

His phone rings over the counter, showing Robin’s new number on his screen.

“Robin, what’s u–”

“I can’t believe you ignored our warnings about going to his place!” Robin hollers through the phone.

The words leave his mind and he gives her deafening silence as a response.

“So, how’s he doing?” she wonders, and he wonders for a second if she’s still possessed. “You two spent the night soaking in love?”

“What, no!” He exclaims, “what about you and Usopp?”

“We kissed. Sloppily.” She deadpans, “Inside the Ferris wheel.”

“That’s romantic, and fast.” He twirls his lips, straining to figure out the nature of the noise in her background, “so you two are officially an item now?”

“Yea, I think.” She mutters, “Listen, don’t forget to eat. I can’t have you fainting somewhere I don’t know of.”

“Where are you now by the way?”

She gives him a cheeky chuckle, “school?”

He meeps “would you look at that, do you like it there?”

“I’ll tell you everything later.” She practically chirps, “Sorry but I got to go now, see ya later sweetheart!”

 

Men shouldn’t dwell on things from the past and Zoro is a reliable man. These are the two things Sanji comes out with today.

It’s closing time and the sun is melting behind the hills, Sanji shuts down the iMac and grabs his keys, his phone, and his grey cardigan. He closes the store and walks back to his apartment.

 

“I’m home!” He announces once he slips out of his shoes.

“Oh,” Robin peeks out of the bathroom door, “welcome home. So hey, listen, I’m sorry but I need to go out now.”

“A date?” he guesses.

“Yea.” she replies, “school was great, the subjects are just so easy and my classmates want to befriend me. I can’t believe it.” She finally leaves the bathroom and scurries around for her things, “I’m having so much fun, Sanji.” She says on a sort of a wistful sigh, “I wouldn’t change it for anything. So, food is over the table and you just need to reheat it.”

He narrows his eyes at her, “that’s irrelevant.”

“I’m staying at Usopp’s.” She tells him when she’s finally at the front door.

He reels his head at that and glowers, “like hell you are, you’re not staying with him and that’s final.”

“He lives with his _mother_ ,” she insinuates, “So I’m going to meet his family, isn’t it great?”

“Wait,” he shakes his hands, tentatively “aren’t you guys taking it a little too fast?”

“Let’s hope we aren’t.” She winks and leaves.

He gives his apartment a rueful smile, “think you’re staying alone today as well, sorry buddy.”

He leaves too.

 

The last hues of sun shade his path to Ronoa’s, and the ease with which he’s pedaling the bike gifts him with balance. Although he eyes everything around, he doesn’t lose control over the handlebars.

Suddenly, his tattooed arm throbs, and the balance he’s managed to create comes crashing down as he loses control over the aforementioned handlebars and the bike totters as though shaken by an earthquake. They both fall down violently and roll together that he almost gets thrown off the edge of a steep slope. He recovers from the fall soon after and inspects his surroundings, trying to locate any possible threats in spite of the pain.

Is he ever going to get a fucking break!

He grabs hold of the bike and wobbles away with it in his side, and slowly the pain fades away, which he thinks must mean the threat is gone by now. He finally reaches the house, places the bike at the usual spot and plods inside. It’s good that he held on to that key, although that decision has almost been flawed by his anger a couple of times before, but what matters is now. He’s in the bathroom, washing the dust away from the shallow cuts when he hears the front door being slummed shut, he jerks up and allows terror to gnaw at his heart because maybe whatever that’s been following him is inside the house right at this moment, with him.

“Who’s there?” He demands, slowly getting out of the bathroom only to get grabbed by the collar,  “what the are you doing!” he bellows when he sees Zoro, “you scared the shit out of me!”

“Shut up.” Zoro barks, but he doesn’t let go of the other’s shirt. He opens it to check for something.

“Let go.” Sanji hisses, “what’ you think you’re doing?”

“Wounds,” Zoro grinds out, “do you have any other wounds than the ones on your face? Were you attacked?”

Sanji gives himself a private moment to let the realization sink in: Zoro is shaking, and it terrifies him to no end. He slowly holds the other’s hands in his, dismayed to see his own shaking as well. “I’m fine,” he looks him right in the eyes, “Zoro, I’m fine, stop panicking.”

Said man almost collapses after he exhales aloud, his fingers rake through his hair.

“Here, sit down, I’ll bring you some water.” Sanji offers.

Zoro grabs him by the wrist and seats them both on the sofa.

“Zoro?” he croaks, this is really starting to scare him. “What exactly happened?”

Zoro, with a scowl, keeps on gazing at the poorly-stocked first aid kit Sanji must have replaced over the coffee table before, and he finally blinks when Sanji snaps his fingers for his attention. “Let me clean your wounds,” he says, and Sanji doesn’t understand this sudden need to play doctor but he lets the man open the box and grab some cotton to cover it in a sterilizer. He holds Sanji’s face by the jaw and rubs the cotton over the wounds very gently.

Sanji hisses anyway, “so, are you going to talk?”

“I was on my way here when I sensed something wrong. I know you attract trouble but that felt different, whatever that was, I just had an intuition that it wasn’t anything good. So instead of driving here, I actually ran.”

“You _ran_?” the other exclaims, flabbergasted.

“It seems the bite’s effect didn’t vanish with the marks,” Zoro announces, “that’s why I sensed you were in danger.” He ends it with a pensive look in his eyes, and his hand pauses for a moment, “Sanji, whatever that thing that tried to attack you, it gave a seriously bad aura. I believe it’s not after your blood but it simply wants to kill you.”

The two look into each other’s eyes.

“We don’t know that.” Sanji finally pulls away and gazes at the coffee table.

“True, but I’m no ordinary creature,” Zoro shakes his head, his voice so deep indicating just how serious Sanji’s crisis is. “That thing wanted you dead.”

Sanji swallows –here goes his life. It wasn’t long ago when an accidently deleted purchase order was the crisis of his life, now he gets a visit from blood-sucking monsters almost daily and Zoro has to make it sound so bad by giving him a death sentence– He slowly glances up at Zoro, “I’ll be fine” he determines after prolonged reflection, and gets up to his feet, Zoro does the same. “I don’t care if it wants to kill me or not, I’m not scared.” –He’s terrified– “I’ll go fix us something to eat.”

Zoro grabs him from the forearm before he stands and pulls him into a hug, dips his head into Sanji’s shoulder.

Sanji smiles wryly. He’s an idiot for running away from this, an idiot for thinking of rejecting this. He lifts his arms and wraps them around Zoro’s neck, “It’s going to be fine,” he assures into Zoro’s ear, “I promise.” He pulls away and holds Zoro’s face to make him look up, “go wash up, I’ll make dinner.”

 

Sanji is lying on the sofa and looking out the large windows, playing the scenarios again in his head.

It –whatever it is– wants to kill him, so what? Wasn’t it the same with the Gumiho and the Jiangshi?

It should be the same with this thing too, but last time murders happened, there were two creatures going on a killing spree: the Gumiho and the Aswang. However, the Aswang was never caught and he’s pretty sure he’d seen it. Wait a goddamn minute –he sits up, what if it’s the Aswang that’s trying to get him now, it’d explain the claw marks back in his apartment –he flops back on the pillow, it’s useless if he doesn’t have proof, and these are just baseless theories.

An owl hoots from some far off distance and Sanji’s body shudders.

And just what’s up with Zoro anyway, he hasn’t said a word after the two of them hugged –Sanji groans, irritably– Whatever, not his problem, Zoro can go sulk for eternity for all he cares.

 

“I’m giving you a ride and that’s final.” Zoro blurts out in the next morning after chugging down the little-sweet-little-bitter coffee Sanji made for him in two large satisfying gulps.

“Don’t waste your breath,” Sanji waves a hand offhandedly, he grabs his keys and phone from the coffee table and heads to the front door. “See you tonight.”

Zoro resorts to his super speed and catches up to Sanji before the latter’s hand touches the handle, he presses him up against the wall, “I can lock you up here and close all the exits, or you can shut your mug and come with me, your call.”

Sanji gets lost in the redness waving inside Zoro’s eyes, then he gulps, he knows he’s almost knocked off his feet, “fine.”

 

The white Mercedes drives off with the bike sitting on its hood.

“You’re so stubborn.” Sanji mutters, biting the tip of his thumb meditatively.

The other gives him the _look who’s talking_ glare and turns the steering wheel with so much force.

“So are you going to do this every time I’m not working?”

“If it keeps you out of trouble.” the other determines with a curt nod.

“Unbelievable!” Sanji throws his hands in the air, “You sound exactly like Robin now.”

“That’s two people” –Zoro does a V with his fingers– “proves how much we care about you.”

“It only proves how much you trust me” the other defies, “and that’s twice less than you ought to.”

“Stop whining.” Zoro groans, wearily.

“Stop underestimating me. If that thing wanted to kill me I’d already be dead. It’s not your place to tell me I’ll get killed when I’m nowhere near as good as you because I know you’re by far the best, stop rubbing it in my face, asshole. It’s not like I came to you asking for your protection either. I can take care of myself just fine you thick-browed fur ball, what an eyesore!” He punches the dashboard to vent his anger and look cool but winces inwardly because it hurt a lot and he's never doing it again.

Zoro hits the brakes suddenly which makes their bodies jerk forward ferociously. After moments of complete silence, Zoro returns the dash of admonishment, “I never underestimated you. I never said I’d protect you either. You’re pretty good at it if you ask me. But I’m doing this for us. You think I’d let them get to you, _my_ mate?” he hits Sanji’s shoulder until the other grimaces again, “stop forcing your assumptions on me already, you and I are different, and so is everyone else. You can’t just accuse me of things that exist in your head only, you _know_ I trust you.”

“But–” Sanji wants to protest more.

“Stop, just stop, okay?” Zoro closes his eyes for a moment, “Noisy,” He mumbles, “You’re so fucking noisy it gives me a headache.” Is this the first time Zoro swears?

“Good.” the other seethes.

“I’ll come to get you later, now get out.” He shoos him with a hand and rubs the point of his nose between his eyes with the other.

Sanji looks out the window and finds that they’re next tp his workplace, then he seizes the chance when nobody is looking, even Zoro, and he smacks a kiss on the man’s cheek, “see ya.” He chirps cheerfully like they didn’t just exchange heavy admonishments, and he gets out, pulls the bike from over the hood and waves bye to Zoro, who doesn’t wave in return and just nods brusquely, and then faces away altogether.

 

“I just called to tell you I’m staying over at Keimi’s.”

Really, Robin, really, he just dealt with a life threatening choice two hours ago and now she calls to tell him _this_?

“What’s your deal, honestly?” he marvels, “you’ve been staying out a lot lately.”

“You see, after Frank cleared the misunderstanding, I realized I was prejudiced towards the pack and I also decided to get to know them more,” she says, “and Keimi invited me over to hers, so it shouldn’t be a problem, right? I mean, it’s Keimi.”

She has a point.

He sighs, “just don’t get used too used to it though, I’ll ruin it for you one day.”

Robin chuckles and asks, “So what’s up?”

“Just working.” he says, shrugging to himself.

“Come on,” she drones, teasingly, “you know what I mean.”

“Well,” he sighs, “we’re doing well, I mean it’s not like we’re seeing each other but, yea, I call that progress. Also, it seems like I’m really his mate now.”

“Are you serious?” she gushes, “How ‘you figure?”

That’s going to be a bit difficult to explain.

“Let’s just say things happened and we figured out that the bite is still in effect.” he sums it up, subtly.

“I’m so happy for you, I really am.” She says, “oh, the bell is ringing, I should get going. I have history next, my favorite!”

“Say hi to the rest for me, and have fun!” except he doesn’t know if people have fun during history classes, for one, he never did.

Soon after, his phone rings again and it’s the same number that’d called him three times before.

“Who is it?”

“I’d be your savior” the other says, a man, “I’m Dracule Mia, you probably have already heard of me, not that it’s anything good.”

“Hello,” Sanji greets back, “I’m sorry for not calling you earlier to thank you.”

“Don’t sweat it,” the other hums, “I’m just worried and wanted to check up on you, you almost died on us the other day.” the man chuckles.

“I’m perfectly fine now. I can’t thank you enough.” he reassures, “Please let me make up for your trouble the other day.”

“If you insist.”

“Great!” he exclaims, “how about a cup of coffee tomorrow?”

“Very well,” the other man agrees, “until then.”

 

Whatever Zoro says about this man, an obligation is still an obligation.

 

As he dusts off the books on a shelf, his hand brushes against a fat tome which sends a sock of something magical, he can tell, but without the charge. He plucks it out and furrows because he’s never seen it here.

“Spells of Old Magic?”

He takes it to the counter and opens it on the first page, table of contents, he assumes, “Incantations and Readings, Love Spells, Specialty Spells and Fortune Spells?” he scoffs, “what the heck is this?” He keeps on reading nonetheless, “Protection Barrier Spells” he gulps, “maybe it’s not bad after all.”

 _To create a protection barrier, you will need a special object, amulets or lucky charms that you usually keep close, rub it in your hands and chant the following words: By the power of the holy spirit, I beg of thee shield me from the threat._ _The barrier will eventually be activated effectively and it will keep all evil away._

“This is complete nonsense, whoever wrote this is insane.” He chucks the book away and gets ready to close the store, except, much to his surprise; he ends up buying the book. “I must be insane too for purchasing it.” He releases a sigh as he waits by the half buried store sign outside just like Zoro told him to.

He is skimming through the pages, pupils drawn to the flamboyant colors scribbled on the thick pages when his arm suddenly throbs, but the only thing that drags from him is a wince. It gradually grows more excruciating, the dull beats of pain travel up to his head and it has Sanji closing the book and cradling his arm and head interchangeably, the scale of pain must mean the threat is lurking by close, very close. He leans back on the corrugated door of the store and slowly slides onto the ground, panting.

A woman and a child hover over him, peering down at him like he is a restored painting, but he’s in too much pain to shoo them away like Zoro did to him, that bastard. Then another woman, middle-aged and short, joins the crowd, a man too now, and Sanji’s slowly becoming a freak show.

“Look,” someone gasps as though a sacred meal has been descended upon them. “It’s Ronoa Zoro!”

The murmurs rise and hushed whispers soon get recognizable, “what’s he doing here?” “Oh dear, it really is him. I wonder what he came down here for!”

“Good day, Mr. Ronoa!” the mother of the kid greets, coyly.

Another bout of piercing pain ricochets across Sanji’s body until he mewls, he considers giving up on his consciousness –a marble hand grabs his.

“Get up.”

Sanji peeks through blurry vision which can’t mask the charisma of Zoro’s sole existence, and he grins up at him drowsily, “took your sweet time, huh?” he croaks, body racked by painful tremors as Zoro hoists him up to his feet and drags him to the car parked by the sidewalk.

“Get in the car,” Zoro orders once he opens the door of the passengers’ seat, shoving Sanji inside.

Sanji slides in. He shirks down in the seat and kneads at his forehead, barely taking in the sight of a crowd of townspeople gawking at them.

Zoro makes his way around to the driver’s side. Sits in and chances a searching look at the other. Sanji has turned to his side, facing Zoro, his features pinched and sickly pale with pain.

“You alright?”

“Oh, just peachy!” Sanji rolls his eyes, tiredly. And then adds, gesticulating to his legs, “You see me river-dancing?”

“I’m taking you to the hospital.” Zoro determines, a tone of worry vibrating down his throat.

Sanji grunts and hugs his arm to his chest, “No. Can we go now?” he slurs and he sounds agitated.

Zoro places a hand on Sanji’s knee and squeezes, “This has been going on and on,” he reminds, “we should get you checked out.”

 “No.” Sanji manages a firm utter. It’s useless, no CT scans or blood tests are going to rule out the problem, not now, and certainly not any time soon. “It’s just like you said” –he grimaces and groans, clutching at his head now– “it seems that thing wants me dead for real.”

Zoro retracts his touch and scrubs a hand over his jaw, remaining silent.

“Whatever,” Sanji sighs, feeling beats of cold sweat running down his face and his back, “I’m so tired, I don’t care, just take me home.”

“Sleep.” Zoro commands, now resting his hand over Sanji’s forehead until he hears his heartbeats settling down and the man in pain slumps in his seat, unconscious.

 

 

“…tomorrow, he’s asleep now.”

The steadily spoken words catch up on Sanji’s surfacing consciousness.

“You should let him rest for now. I’ll call you when he’s feeling better.”

“Is it serious? Did he get hurt?” a girl argues, it’s a voice with a high pitch, must be Keimi’s.

Sanji examines the familiar ceiling of Zoro 's bedroom with bleary eyes.

“He’s running a fever, but it’s not serious.” Zoro tells her, calmly.

“Did you see them? The one who tried to attack him.” drawling yet accommodating, it’s definitely Nami’s.

“I didn’t.” Zoro states out flatly, “but so far, nothing attacked him, luckily, it’s just the seal acting up.”

“I can’t believe you let this happen!” the owner of this blaming accusation must be Robin, she’s overly protective.

Sanji attempts to sit up for the third time, but his head keeps falling back on the fluffy pillows. His eyes roll drowsily, the sheets feel heavenly against his naked skin. Wait, naked?

“It’s not like I can prevent his tattoos from acting up.” Zoro protests, voice falling dangerously in warning.

“You at least leached his pain away, didn’t you?” Calm and reasonable, that’s Frank talking.

 “Of course.” Zoro replies, curtly.

“We should let the princess get some rest, he must be tired,” spiteful on the outside but caring on the inside, this is Usopp. “He kept getting paler and paler each day, dude needs a few days off.”

“We’ll do a few strolls around the area, if we see or hear anything, you’ll get the signal.” Luffy speaks at last.

Sanji’s throat itches, it’s parched like a dried lake and vouching for water. He flashes out a hand to the bedside table, feeling its surface for a glass of water. His fingers brush against plastic, realizing it’s a bottle, his shaky hand tries to reach it but it knocks it off instead, it drops to the floor and rolls away.

“He’s awake.” The kids say in unison.

“Usopp, give them a lift, and Luffy, keep an eye on Robin and make sure she’s safe.” Zoro instructs, “I’ll be up for any possible signals so make sure you two do a thorough patrol, switch rounds at dawn, got it?”

Sanji finds himself battling to lift the bottle from the floor, the faint light coming from the lamps is pretty useless and, owner or not, if he had enough strength in him he’d throw them out of the window, when, behold! a hand beats him to the bottle and brings it up to him. Sanji takes the offered object and sits up, tries to, but the other soon sees him thrashing about.

He replaces a tray over the nightstand and lends a hand, literally, hooking it behind Sanji’s trunk and winching him up. A part of the bed on Sanji’s side dips when Zoro sits down. “How’re you feeling now?” He asks, landing a hand over Sanji’s sweaty forehead and forestalling his retort by the other as he suspends it in the air, “I’m just trying to be nice here, no being a smartass now.”

Sanji hacks out a low scoff, shaking his head on a lopsided smile, then he nods and meets Zoro’s eyes, “I’m better.” He assures, “sore all over, but better.”

“I call that an improvement,” Zoro grins playfully, and Sanji wants to yell so is your attitude! But maybe it’s wise to leave it unsaid. “I never needed medicine and I didn’t know what to give you. Your fever went up really high so I called Luffy, wrong move, I know, but the rest would make a fuss about it.”

“But how did it end up with all of them here?” He asks after a nippy sip of the water.

“It seems that he was with Nami, and because he can’t lie to her he told her what was going on, and she shared with the rest.”

“Guess that makes them a pack.” Sanji comments, sneering to himself at his in-joke.

“So what happened back there?” Zoro cuts to the chase, eyes serious.

Sanji puts the bottle back over the nightstand and squares his shoulders, “it seems that whenever my head hurts it means an entity is around, a non human entity, and don’t ask me about the source of that info because I’m so not ready to share. Also, to be quite honest with you, it never happened like this. I mean I get pain every now and then but this” –he touches his tattooed arm– “the pain this time was unbearable I wanted to throw up. I just hope that whatever that’s lurking to kill me is not _that_ strong.”

Zoro keeps on looking at him with vague silence hanging above them, heavy even, until he brings a hand to close it on Sanji’s nape, pulling gently to bring him closer, “your idiocy is beyond repair, I swear.”

“I heard it’s contagious.” Sanji berates, snidely.

Zoro rests his forehead on Sanji’s, eyelids fluttering shut as though he’s finally found peace, “don’t scare me like that again.” Voice so deep Sanji is amazed why he isn’t drowning yet.

Sanji holds the wrist of the hand Zoro has wrapped around his neck, and slowly slides to the firm forearm, “you too,” he whispers, but also closes his eyes and nods curtly, “don’t keep me waiting like that again.”

Liking the intimacy, none of them takes the initiative to pull away, but when they realize they need to, the action is tantalizingly slow during the embarrassing silence.

Zoro’s eyes catch the hues of the twin lamps, a tiny hint of red swivels deep inside those pupils when they flash on Sanji’s lips, aflame with hunger. It honors Sanji to no end, but he is man enough to admit his hatred towards the hesitation lingering, hindering the passion aimed at him. He decides he can’t stand waiting anymore and leans forward to press his lips on Zoro’s. For a moment, it’s perfect. Zoro’s lips warm and soft against his, just like he dreamed, but then a hand on his chest pushes him away.

Raw confusion cloaks over Sanji’s features, until, with distinct horror, realizes he’s just been rejected.

Mortified, he shoots forward to leave the bed with the knot in his stomach clenching, but a hand catches his and he’s suddenly pulled back to the bed. He lands onto the sheets with a deep groan. He slowly opens his eyes and sees Zoro mounting him.

“I told you, don’t judge me.” He reminds, his brows knitted.

“Then prove me wrong.” Sanji dares him, meeting the other’s gaze, unfazed.

Zoro leans down, removing the space between them and finally takes Sanji’s lips in his, it’s languid at first as Zoro adjust himself on top of the other, but then the angle is just so right as the kiss happens.

The press of lips become more forceful and Sanji fucking loves the weight of Zoro on him. He parts his lips because, God yes, he wants this man so much! Zoro quickly seized the chance bestowed to him and sweeps his tongue inside, like he wants eat him up. Sanji can’t keep his hands to himself anymore so he places them each on Zoro’s hips, bringing him impossibly closer, the heat of a body surrounding his and the sounds of wet lips smacking against one another making him dizzy. Zoro pulls from the kiss to tongue his way along Sanji’s neck, fixating on the hollowness there, lapping the tip of his tongue over the heated skin. Sanji jolts under every lick, sighing and panting beneath the man and clutching at the fabric under his palms. That’s it. There. He’s been teasing him for weeks, for fuck’s sake, it’s time he do something about it. Zoro glides a hand to the expanse of Sanji’s naked abdomen, kneading his way lower each time.

Sanji’s never felt another man’s hand on his body and he’s never allowed another man’s hand on him. But to have Zoro, the man he’s been pinning for and even masturbating to for the longest of times, touch him in places where the sun doesn’t shine, well, it just does things to Sanji’s cock.

Zoro’s hand clutch the other’s crotch, fisting the bulge growing in size between Sanji’s legs, the latter chews on his bottom lip and keens pleasurably, pupils sinking under his lids.

Apparently, not the smartest thing to do.

The sweet voice incites Zoro, the way his eyes shine crimson proves it, and instead of fisting, he grinds against Sanji’s hard-on with his own, causing more friction. Sanji moans more into Zoro’s ear, loving the little grunts the man make in response. “Yes! Oh, God, Zoro, do it more.” He lets out a gasp that is somewhere between a whimper and a lewd moan when Zoro obliges. “I want to feel you _more_.”

As though in a daze, Zoro parts his lips wide open, fangs elongate, sharp and long. “I’m biting.” Saying so, he grabs a fistful of the other’s hair and yanks his head backward.

Sanji winces audibly, “Yea…” He pants, hands gripping at Zoro’s sides desperately, wanting the feeling to last. “I want you to.” He looks lustfully into Zoro’s beautiful red eyes as they peer down at him. But to his surprise, Zoro falls into an indecipherable pause that quickly worries him.  “What’s wrong…” he asks, chest going up and down and cheeks blushing with lust.

Zoro recoils altogether and sits up, forehead scowling, “I still need to break off my engagement to Rona.”

_Oh, it’s that._

“What’s stopping you?” Sanji goads. And when Zoro glowers at him with reproach for the thing he’s just said, he is too stupefied by Sanji’s cold eyes that he soon faces away again. “I’m kidding,” Sanji quickly adds as he worms out of the bed, “it doesn’t concern me so do whatever you want.”

“What ‘you mean?” Zoro demands.

Sanji picks up his folded jeans from a settee at the side of the bed, and starts wearing it, “I’ll tell you what I mean, once I get the Imugi’s power out of me, your interest in me will vanish and you’re going to find out you’ve made the biggest mistake in your life by giving me the bite, though the first bite doesn’t count because my body refused it” –he’s zipping up his jeans now– “I know it’s not my blood that draws you to me but it’s mistaking excitement with love that does, and I’m not ready to get blamed for anything, so ask yourself” –he says when he turns around to face Zoro– “are you?”

“You’re not making any sense.” Zoro also leaves the bed and walks up to him, “what is it that you really want?”

So what if the two of them become something… more? Sanki knows he’d be happier than the rest of the world, but would it make Zoro happy? Sanji simply can’t give him what Rona can. He’s not a woman, and their happiness would be only temporary if Zoro gives his life to him…

Sanji manages to scrounge up a grin, “I want us to be friends.” He concludes.

Sanji, if he is blessed with a long lifespan, will never bring himself to forget how shocked Zoro looks.

“Do you even know what you’re asking?” Zoro bellows, his nose faring.

“I’m pretty aware of all of this, thank you very much.” He jokes, going to pick his shirt now when he suddenly feels his body getting manhandled, swiveled and slammed against the wall. “What now? I’m still feverish goddamn it!”

Zoro’s eyes turn red with anger, and he growls at Sanji, fucking _growls_. “You’re my mate, so don’t think I’ll let you off just like that.” Red pupils whisked to Sanji’s lips and then back at his doleful eyes.

As he lets go of the man, Sanji slides to the floor, hands on knees, head hanging low. “Don’t be a fucking eyesore, don’t break the engagement!”

The shrewd sacrifice in Sanji’s words finally reveals itself to Zoro, so he gets down as well and seats himself between Sanji’s legs. He placing a hand on his collar, thumb soaring up to lift the man’s chin, teary and sparkling eyes on his, “You’re so stupid” he comments, it’s unexpected and it certainly surprises even himself, “and your stupidity is bound to make me go bald soon.” He sighs, wryly. “I can smell it on you, you love me. You’re crazy about me. You’re head over heels for me, so whatever reason that’s making you say those words I won’t accept it. My engagement to Rona is only beneficial to my family, it’s not like I like her. I want _you_ , I chose _you_. Don’t my choices mean anything to you at all?”

“But you’re making it hard for me.” Sanji reasons, his eyes trembling because the look in Zoro’s is absolutely mesmerizing, “I can’t give you what she can!” he complains, breathing uneven.

“What’s that?” Zoro prompts, angry veins popping along his temples, “social status, power, money?”

“Happiness!” Sanji corrects and his voice cracks with all the emotions clogging his throat.

“But I’m pretty happy with you.” He says it so simply, without thinking it over, without even knowing what it’d do to Sanji because the latter’s heart hops up to his clogged throat and he doesn’t know if he can swallow it back to its place. “I’m happy when you’re around. You cook delicious food for me, you worry about me and about the pack and you’re very caring and gentle. You’re also stubborn and I hate you for that, but I just can’t seem to say no to it, and you make me laugh–”

“You never laugh.” Sanji mumbles cutely as he sniffs,

“True, but if it’s any consolation to you, I laugh in my head.” Zoro tells him, seriously, and Sanji can’t help but make a small chuckle. “Seriously, stop thinking about unnecessary things alone. I hate it when you do that. Also, you hurt people when you’re thinking wrongly of them.”

“Zoro, I…” Sanji cups his face and cries into his palms, “what about three years from now, what about ten, I bet you won’t say the same things you are now.”

Zoro doesn’t say anything in response, but he wraps his arms and legs around Sanji and hugs him tight, “You’re an idiot.”

“I’m realistic.” Sanji protests, but his voice is muffled by Zoro’s shirt, and he can’t help but inhale his scent.

“Alright, I’ll be real, too.” Zoro says in his deep voice, “I told you I want you and no one else, so make up your mind because even if I have the power to, I just can’t force you to anything. Have some faith in you.” He licks his lips, “we’re both grownups now and too old for this kind of stunt.”

“I’m dangerous.” Sanji reasons, on a pout.

“Danger is part of my daily life.” Zoro replies, rubbing Sanji’s back in circular motions.

“I can’t give birth.” Sanji, although ashamed by the disclosure, manages to utter the words.

“I have my pack, and it’s enough of a headache.” Zoro responses, nipping at Sanji’s fluffy mop of hair with his lips.

“Robin said you went berserk after giving me the bite so what if history repeats itself?” Sanji mumbles closer to Zoro’s ear now.

“I went berserk because you went out and got yourself bitten by a Jiangshi, it hurt my pride as a werewolf, and as a man.” Zoro hums, playing with Sanji’s smooth strands with his hand, “any other worries or complaints to make?”

“I might lose my way again, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but I don’t trust myself enough to stay, so if that ever happens, make sure you beat me back to my senses.” Sanji pulls away to look at the other in the eyes, loving the gentleness he sees.

“Noted.” Zoro nods, “so are we cool now?”

“You slammed a sick person against the wall, no we’re not cool, mister!” Sanji taunts.

“I’m sorry.” Zoro apologizes, pecking at Sanji’s feverish forehead, “forgive me.” he utters, kissing Sanji’s eyelids now, then his cheeks and then his lips. They pause, and then dive for another deep, meaningful kiss, clasped in each other warmly, none of them wanting to let go.

 


	15. Chapter 15

 

 

 

Sanji hears a rustle of fabric that soon hauls him off of his dreams, he sighs and rolls over onto his back; he’s seen that ceiling many times by now…

“Did I wake you?”

Sanji turns his head to the source of this rich, deep voice and sees Zoro sitting beside him under the sheets, reading a book, with his back on the headboard.

“What time is it?” he asks but it’s mumbled as he stretches, trying to stifle a yawn.

The other answers “Almost two in the morning. How’s the head?” he asks, but still replaces a hand over Sanji’s forehead to check for a fever himself.

“I’m fine.” The latter mutters, not sure whether the blush on his cheeks is because of his fever or the vivid flashes of Zoro’s tongue invading his mouth.

“Still a little feverish, want some water?” He offers, closing his book by now, “right, even though you ate the soup I made, are you by any chance still hungry?”

“What’s the deal with you, being nice all of a sudden?” Sanji furrows at the other who chuckles and shakes his head, “only today, since you’re sick.”

Truth is, Zoro’s always been kind to him, but he won’t say it just yet. The guy has ego issues. He might get cocky, even overexcited about it, and he’s a werewolf. Who knows what rattling his emotions could result in. Yikes! Just thinking about it makes Sanji’s stomach churn.

“That’s just out of character so knock it off. It’s leaving me with horrible aftertaste.” Sanji sits up a little forward to wedge his pillow against the headboard so that he can lean on it, “Actually, I didn’t forget to mention it, I just got kind of distracted with everything going on” –he inwardly enjoys the little gestures Zoro displays like helping him stuff the pillow behind his back– “so I should say it now before I really forget, about getting Robin into school, thank you.” He meets Zoro’s eyes, “you’ve done us a great favor and I can’t thank you enough. She seems pretty happy about it, too.”

“It’s nothing.” Zoro simply shrugs, “I have connections so it wasn’t a big deal.”

“They came in handy” –he finally slumps on the makeshift nest– “I was really worried how to get her into school since I don’t have any of her certificates.”

“I was going to come to that eventually.” Zoro perks up a little, “You see, we kind of fabricated the date and place of her birth.”

“And they allow that –wait, what do you mean ‘ _we’_?” he shuffles his legs under the sheets, aiming to sit more comfortably to look Zoro straight in the eyes,

“I should probably tell you what’s going on.” Zoro starts with a face of doom, as though the walls sheltering his life secrets were finally crumbling down. “The history of the Ronoa clan goes back to the era of Hyeokgeose of Silla. The founding legend tells us that in the forest, at a well called Najeong at Yangsan, a strange light shone from the sky, and a white horse was bowed down. Chief Sobeolgong of Goheo discovered a large egg there. A boy came out of the egg, and when bathed, his body radiated light and birds and beasts danced. Sobeolgong raised him, and the six chieftains revered him. The chieftains made him king when he became thirteen. The state was named Seonabeol. Upon becoming king, he married Lady Alyeong, who is said to have been born from the ribs of a dragon*. This is the ordinary legend we’ve come to hear every now and then, also it is said that the legend itself is a symbolic tale that merely describes the historical chain of events to Hyeokgeose’s becoming king. However, many don’t know that the tale isn’t necessary just a tale. Amongst his noble descendants, the blood of the king and his wife, who was born from the ribs of a dragon, was carried through to the next generations, and years later, one of the descendants was sent overseas in a self-discovery journey. But it is said that he was bitten by a hideous beast in Westerners’ lands and was doomed to die. Strangely enough, the bite didn’t kill him but cured his alleged limp. When he came back, he told the wise leader who soon attributed the cause to his royal blood, but years later, his own descendants began to show more symptoms; like the power to heal oneself, or the ability to withstand pain and hear what normal humans can’t” –he looks up at Sanji who is gaping at him– “it’s becoming clear what bit him. It seems that that man’s royal blood was the reason why the bite didn’t kill nor turn him, and somehow, all his descendants’ bodies with the same blood learned how to coexist with the infection of the bite. So all the descendants with Hyeokgeose’s and the queen’s blood can’t die or turn if bitten by any supernatural creatures” –he looks down and puts his hand over his chest– “inside me, Hyeokgeose’s and the queen’s blood is pumping through my veins, but it’s a shame that I don’t even know how to appreciate it because whether it’s a blessing or a curse, I’m not sure yet. Sometimes, I keep wondering what it would be like if I was a normal human. I mean, waking up only to witness history repeating itself over and over has become frustrating, but” –his pupils rise up now, his charming smile radiating like a springtime sunset– “I don’t dwell on it too much lately so back to my point. The Ronoa clan founded many regions and later invested in many projects, they funded new institutions and establishments and they signed partnership contracts with Western companies to expand their wealth and their control over many other fields, and soon, they became one of the richest clans in the country. The Ronoa clan helped protect these lands and so it’s only natural that the people working under our clan are familiar with the authority we have, which brings me right to Robin’s case. Since I’m an Alpha in my family, I have authority in hand to attain what any other ordinary civilian can’t, but it doesn’t stop here” –he scowls at Sanji and the latter’s eyes tremble under their intensity– “since most of the descendants of the Ronoa clan are werewolves, only very few know about this. We hide under the mask of one of the richest families in the world to protect this secret, but those who know are people you’ll find in the most unexpected places. They can be vendors in markets, freelancers doing all kinds of odd jobs you can think of, or even students; however, that’s also just one of the many covers we take for ourselves. Some of those are descendants of the Royal Guards who have sworn to protect and serve the Ronoa clan” –he pauses for a second, his eyes scanning Sanji’s face, the dim light of the lamps making his eyes glitter with an unspeakable mystery– “Law was one of the descendants of the Royal Guards of the Ronoa clan.”

“What…” it comes out like a croaked whisper. That’s mother fucking news to him!

Zoro takes Sanji’s hand in his, nibbles at his bottom lip for a second to make up his mind, “look, even though I told you the other day that I’d tell you about Law’s past, I still can’t see any obligation to why I should.”

“Don’t give me that.” Sanji wrenches his hand from the man’s, and glares, “you know Law was my best friend, I already told you the whole story.”

“I know, but what I understood from your story is that he isolated himself from you on purpose.”

“What’s with the half baked answers” or not. Come to think of it, it does seem that way when Sanji ponders it from a different angle, truth is he’d thought of this before but it hurt a lot so he ignored it, and right now he has no right to force Zoro into saying anything if it served the object of hiding their clan’s secret. It doesn’t mean Sanji can’t be trusted, but circumstances change every god damn day. “I get it. It just it hurts more when you say it out loud like that. I mean Law and I used to be so close but to have him suddenly keep his distance from me, I just don’t know anymore” –he hugs his knees to his chest and brushes both hands through his hair, ruffles it and lets out a harsh sigh– “it sucks to be the only one being left out, and Law didn’t even once complain to me about anything but it’s not like I can simply blame it on him. I also didn’t approach him out of consideration when I saw the changes he was going through until it was too late, so I’m at fault too” –he tightens his hold on his knees–

Zoro puts his hand over Sanji’s hair, hating to see him wallowing in raw dejection. “Don’t be harsh on yourself.”

Sanji glances up at him with flushed cheeks, “you too.”

The other looks taken aback, paying no mind to his hand that’s still ruffling Sanji’s hair, “what ‘you mean?”

Sanji looks like he wants to say something and he lifts his head slightly, dithers to contemplate the other’s reaction but eventually speaks his mind, voice reduced down to a mumble, “maybe it all happens for a reason, like the red string connecting us, you know, fate and all that crap. Maybe you’re what you are for a reason; perhaps if you were human you still wouldn’t like it. I mean being human fucking sucks, look at me, all weak and groggy because of a damn fever.”

To his surprise, Zoro chortles, “Want me to turn you?” he teases, conversationally playful.

“Don’t spout nonsense, moron.” He says, doggedly “even if it sucks being human, one cheeky fur ball is enough of a freak show.”

The hand on his head pauses its motions and he gets the impression Zoro felt offended, though it’s also out of character, but his assumption is soon proven wrong when Zoro exclaims, “I already bit you once!”

Sanji looks up at him, bewildered,

“Come on, now” Zoro sighs, “Me and the Jiangshi both bit you, you didn’t turn, but you didn’t die either.”

“Oh that,” Sanji’s shoulders droop in relief, “it seems the Imugi’s power prevented it so I’m safe, for now.”

“I see.” Zoro breathes out and rests his hand back over his lap, “did the Imugi help you take out the vamp?”

“That’s” –Sanji scratches an itch behind his left ear– “yeah, he did.”

“Sanji,” Zoro calls with his deep voice, and it makes the other’s body vibrate and his stomach do that stupid somersault again, like he’s too deep in love his feet are wet. Like he’s a goner and there’s no one to bring him back. He can go on forever. Like he’s melting and can’t be iced… “Usually, in cases like these, vessels can communicate with their lodger, sort of an internal monologue–”

 “Yea, I know.” Sanji, nods curt and to the point, not even caring about the fact that he’s just interrupted the man. He shuffles his legs a little to straighten them. “I already do that sometimes.”

“You do?” the excitement over Zoro’s face is exactly like a kid’s with the blown eyes and the gaping mouth, and Sanji can’t help but drown a little deeper.

“His name’s Ryu, a very nonchalant Imugi with an odd penchant for calling me lad like some rogue of the Highlands. I think if he was to take a human form he’d look exactly like my sixty year old neighbor who gets shitfaced at midday.” He points out, but he soon enjoys the sound of Zoro’s laugh.

“’Seems like you two will get along just fine.”

“What’s with the old man joke, dumb-shit!” Sanji’s face goes crimson, eyes fluttering to his lap. “Don’t say ridiculous things, he’ll believe it.” He protests, indignantly, but he secretly loves it to the sky and back.

Zoro chuckles some more and he can’t bring himself to cut the other off because he’s so enjoying the gentle rumble of his deep chuckle, if only it’d last longer.

“So, was he the one who told you about the cause of your headaches?”

“Mm,” Sanji nods, and bats at his long fringes, “sort of” he mumbles, “anyways, thanks to that, I can figure if something wants a go at my ass, though it’s still a pain to feel like my head is about to split in two when that happens.”

“Sanji,” he calls out again, his hand lands on Sanji’s, “to be honest, I’m not good with words, and even what I’m about to say is going to sound so cheesy, you might get pissed off too so I’m-damned-if-I-talk-damned-if-I-didn’t, but at least I feel like I should tell you.”

“Oh man, not another story,” he whines, “I get it, kinda being left out, the usual, also tired of people rubbing it in my face as it is, you of all should understand that–”

Zoro’s lips press on his, kissing him with a neediness that Sanji never thought he could inspire in someone one day. He twists, never once breaking contact where their skins are conjoined until he is half straddling Zoro’s lap. Persistent fingers dug through smooth mane, tugging and clutching, bodies aflame with hunger.

Just when Sanji starts to grind against the other’s groin, Zoro pulls back, contour of his lips red and swollen and hair sticking to all edges. “No matter what happens, I’ll protect you. If I’m not there, just call out to me, I’ll come to you wherever I am. Don’t forget that.”

Sanji looks back at the pair of the glittering eyes staring into his, his own tremble at the bare passion harbored for him. He snorts, sneeringly, “it’s not like I’ll be happy hearing you say that, I’m a guy you know.” He tilts his head a little and his lips break into a grin, “I may not look it but I’m pretty tough, so don’t weigh it up.”

“You’re cute.” Zoro comments suddenly after a pregnant pause.

“You” Sanji starts, and quickly frames his cheeks with sweaty palms, “you moronic fur ball, saying embarrassing things so out of the blue with a straight face, what the hell are you thinking!”

Zoro’s arms wrap around Sanji, bringing him closer into a hug, “Sanji, remember what I told you. It has nothing to do with you being unable to protect yourself, I know you can, but as your mate, I can’t allow anyone near you. It might become unbearable sometimes, but I still won’t let you off that easily. You belong with me.”

He said _with me_ , he didn’t say _to me_ which is a pretty big fucking deal to Sanji. Zoro is talking to him like they’re equal in everything, and that makes a speck of pride bloom in Sanji to no end.

Sanji could really get used to this it’s scary.

He links his own arms around Zoro’s back, hugging him tightly; the feeling of firm muscles wrapping him submerges him with safety.

“You’re such a goof, I swear.” He complains, but a smile still sneaks up onto his plump lips.

Zoro chuckles, “You’re one to talk.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So the hero is finally here.” Says Sanji, and he gives the Spells of Old Magic book in his hand a sturdy shove as he tucks it back into its box on the counter.

The tanned young man in front of the counter shrugs both shoulders unsympathetically and lets it linger to probably rub it in Sanji’s face how much he’s down on luck, a smirk about his cat-like lips, signifying how much fun teasing Sanji can be.

Sanji exhales and breathes out an immense sigh, ostentatiously flustered. A memory from his and Zoro’s little lambasting this morning quickly flashes before his eyes.

 

_“Bonjour,” Sanji’s ringing voice fended off the sleepiness over Zoro’s features as he reeled around –with obviously no wounds covering his face or hands, just when the other was walking down the stairs. “Breakfast is ready, I made you coffee too, mm” –he ran a hand through his hair slightly and pressed his lips together, as if double checking his words before saying them, then he added hurriedly– “I need to open the shop now, if you learn anything just give me a call.” He carried a tote bag which he’d found somewhere in the kitchen, and walked backwards towards the front door._

_“Hold it right there,” the other said in a gruff and final tone, his eyes glittered in the meanwhile, managing to be altogether scary as he came at Sanji in light steps, “I’m sending Sop to your shop later, just to make sure nothing happens to you. Also, we need to wait and see if anything tries to attack you again.”_

_“You guys are incorrigible” Sanji fought the urge to let out any sighs. “This is exactly why I wanted to leave before you woke up.” He stifled in his irritation by some miracle, “don’t send anyone to the shop, I’ll be alright, told you before that I can protect myself. I’ve managed to stay in one piece so I think I can handle this on my own.” He taps the other on the shoulder, “and if something happens I’ll just call you.” He shrugs to show his indifference to the whole danger thing._

_The other stares at him for a prolonged pause._

_“Do you remember the second day after we met? I came back home late and you were sitting at the porch.” Zoro said out of the blue that Sanji resisted making fun of with such a passion, “once I neared you, I smelt something strong, a scent of fear and something else.”_

_Sanji remembered that, he then remembered how scared had felt back then when the Gumiho’s hair touched his face, dark and smooth, as if a live whirlpool had been apt to swallow him inside and ridicule him for chocking to death. He tossed this thought behind his head as another memory from the same day played on the cassette player…_

_“I smelt fear coming from you, I also smelled the Gumiho but that I didn’t know until you pointed it out, but the other thing, it smelled different.”_

_“Yes.” Sanji finally agreed with a shaky voice._

_Zoro arched up his brows, demanding an explanation._

_“That night, I saw something else beside the Gumiho, it had groggy yellow eyes.” He shook his head, “actually it wasn’t the first time I‘d seen it.” He corrected himself, “I had seen it before when I first came to your house, it’d appear behind the tree lines and keep its distance, but I don’t assume it’s anything strong since I don’t get strong headaches when it’s around so I don’t have to worry about it, and neither should you.” At that, he pressed his index on Zoro’s chest._

_Said man’s face was unreadable, a haze of something swiveled within his deep eyes, but he remained silent._

_Sanji couldn’t get out of that door knowing he’d left Zoro with that look on his face, he liked to tease, but he wasn’t a fan of beaming when people point hands at him and inform others of how much of a jerk Zoro’s boyfriend is –and he didn’t just call himself Zoro’s boyfriend!_

_Zoro narrowed his eyes at him, who bit down on his bottom lip and arched up a brow, “come on, I’ll be fine” he relented, the tote bag over his tense shoulder thumping over his clothes when he slanted into Zoro’s space._

_“I’ll give you a lift.” The other said, and judging by his tone, it wasn’t a suggestion._

_“Mm,” Sanji shook his head, declining the offer, “Also, I’m not coming over tonight. I need to meet with Robin.” He palmed Zoro’s cheek by his habitually cold hand and flashed the other a serene smile, “I’m going to miss you,” he really meant it, and to cover up the embarrassment, he added “don’t cheat on me while I’m gone.”_

 

He remembers the hesitance on Zoro’s face as his brows twitched momentarily, but he soon recovered from whatever state of doubt he’d been in and nodded brusquely, with that, allowing Sanji to leave by himself. It was no joke when the kids told him to get ready for Zoro wouldn’t let him out of his sight.

Usopp pulls out the brochure Sanji has just tucked into the holder to read.

Suddenly wobbly, Sanji doesn’t raise another argument, he’s come to learn how inherently stubborn the Ronoas tend to be. He just leans over the counter, drumming his fingers over its wooden surface. Silence is good, too.

“I also don’t want to be here,” Usopp folds the brochure and puts it back to its holder, “but it’s better than being at school.”

“You’re a disgrace to your race.” Sanji comments, offhandedly,

“We don’t all fit in school” the other beseeches, “For one, I prefer combats and fighting, books don’t get to me.”

Slowly, it seeps into Sanji how Usopp is desperately trying to keep this conversation steady and going, and at last, he acknowledges the young man’s efforts.

 “I bet you’re someone who likes to test his own limits,” Sanji offers, scowling but no wrinkles mar his forehead. “Will you enlist in the army after graduating?”

Usopp’s inscrutable countenance give little away, “I want to do that” he points out, but his frown returns and whatever emotion he’s shown get concealed. He speaks again after a while, “Also, you don’t seem like it but you really understand us” but then adds as an afterthought, “that’s probably why I don’t like you.”

Now, Sanji can’t help but arch up his eyebrows in surprise, did he hear him right? Did he just get praised by this intractable werewolf?

“Don’t look so happy about it.” He soon rebukes.

Sanji presses his lips together, “figured, little shit” he mumbles the last since you can’t curse in front of kids.

“I hate to say this, but I gotta admit” Usopp is now looking uncomfortable praising someone like Sanji, “if it wasn’t for you, we would have already killed Robin when she was still possessed by that Gumiho. More than that, Frank always feels thankful to you for helping him with Shirahish, you probably weren’t aware of it back then but he overheard your conversation in the shop,” he glances up, “and more importantly, you brought Mr. Ronoa from his own world to us. At last, it feels like I have an Alpha whom I can depend on and trust with my life.”

A moment of silence is about to take over the atmosphere, but Sanji slowly starts chuckling, “A true man is that who admits another’s strength” He quotes, something his departed father used to say. He props on his knuckles now, beaming, “you’re a good Beta –that's what they're called, right? You care about the pack and you cherish that Alpha beta relationship with Zoro, it’s really admirable.”

Usopp looks flustered for a fraction of a second, but Sanji learns that that is just him being embarrassed.

His phone suddenly rings inside that tote bag and he takes it out after excusing himself. He checks the phone screen and peeks up at Usopp who is now checking the items with curious eyes. “I’m taking this outside, keep an eye on the place.” He instructs, but isn’t Usopp already doing that? Keeping his eyes on the items?

Sanji goes out and finally connects the call, “Oh, Mr. Dracule, I’m glad you called.”

The other vibrates with a chuckle, “what, were you thinking of ways to turn me down properly?”

“Nonsense” Sanji denies, “I was just worried since things came up and I didn’t know how to tell you beforehand.”

“Isn’t it the same thing?”

Sanji winces, “not necessarily?”

The other chuckles again, “It’s all fine, I also called to postpone our meeting. It seems we’re not fated to meet yet, Mr. Vins.”

“I feel a lot better that you’ve said that, but, of course, we still need to meet.”

“That’s a matter of course,” he intones in response, “well then Sanji, until we meet again, take care.”

Sanji breathes out a sigh of relief because he doesn’t have to meet this man since Usopp is most likely going to stick his ass to him for the rest of the afternoon. That is, of course, assuming he will tire of the company as soon as the sun sets. He turns around to ask Usopp directly about a possible slumber party, but oh boy, he wishes he didn’t. It’s quite the shock he gets when he finds Usopp already outside the shop, pinning him with a scathing glare.

“It’s not what you think,” he manages to say before the other utters a reproaching word that would throw his attempt to sugarcoat this act of his down the drain by the sidewalk.

Usopp remains silent; his silence is both apprehensive and frightening.

Sanji feels a sudden clutch of fear. He swallows, unaware of how his eyes are trembling and looking around, not even averting his eyes could fight that fear away. He fists his hands, he finds squeezing the phone in his hand a lot more comforting than the unfathomable look in the younger man’s eyes.

“Answer me for one thing,” said younger male suddenly blurts, coldly, “Did you just take the call outside so I wouldn’t hear?”

“No?” Sanji shrugs, but it’s in a slow motion, as if one hasty movement would snap his joints.

The other arches up his brows, accusingly. A certain snarky Alpha is already rubbing off on this certain pack member, Sanji assumes, they’re not very fond of words, so their eyebrows do the talk for them.

“I thought it’d be insensible of me to speak to him in front of you, I heard you guys don’t exactly share the warmest of memories.”

“Don’t fob me off!” Usopp berates in an octave higher than usual.

“Don't raise your voice at me!” Sanji chides back, and he is abruptly surprised at how Usopp flinches. He actually flinches! “Look, let’s get inside, people are staring.”

 

 “A few days ago, Robin and I were outside when I suddenly fell ill –”

“I know.” Usopp interjects, “we told you we were keeping an eye on you back then, we saw everything.”

“Oh,” that makes things easy then “I was only planning to thank him in person and get things over with.”

“Does Mr. Ronoa know about this?” is his worry, which is only understandable. Zoro called Sanji once and didn’t care about suave as he ripped into him for coming in contact with Mia which had been totally coincidental.

Sanji scratches his temple, “he actually doesn’t, and before you look at me like that, just hear me out” he says after the other sends him a nasty glare, “there’s no need for him to know that I’m meeting up with the guy, I mean I’m not going to flee with him like Bonnie and Clyde in the remake. I don’t see why Zoro has to know.”

Usopp shakes his head vigorously Sanji is surprised he didn’t get a whiplash, “no, no!” he lifts up to his feet, still shaking his head, absolute dismissal of the idea alone. “I can’t hide this from my Alpha. You don’t understand, there’s a past that links Ronoa Zoro and Dracule Mia together, and even though they announced ceasefire, one little misunderstanding can tear that peace proxy apart.” He whips his head around, “I won’t allow it, I won’t let you meet him and risk breaking loose another bloody war for your own entertainment.”

“Okay,” Sanji brings up his hands, “I take back what I said, the way you cherish that Alpha Beta relationship of yours is not admirable at all, if anything, it’s a real hindrance.”

Usopp wets his lips without adding anything.

Sanji sighs, “Then how about you come with me when he calls to meet up?” he gestures at all of him with a lazy hand, “still not feasible?”

“I guess if I’m there,” Usopp mumbles after another pause, “I’ll think about it.”

Sanji studies the other and then he drones, “Also, what kind of past links those two together?”

Usopp flinches for the second time today, displays less charm than R2-D2.

“Can’t say?” Sanji conjectures, attempting to make it less bearable for the other. “It’s fine. I’ll straight up ask Zoro then, though I doubt he’ll tell me anything new.”

“We don’t usually talk about stuff from the past, and it’s best if you don’t too.”

“Preaching me now, you punk?”

“You don’t understand, you don’t know anything about Mr. Ronoa so stop acting all carefree about it you’d hurt people doing so.” Usopp’s shoulders slump and he dibs his chin, rather sullenly.

It comes to him like a sack of rocks smacking him across his cheek, Sanji doesn’t understand, he says, Sanji doesn’t know anything about Ronoa Zoro, he says.

Well, for starters, dimwit, it’s not like Sanji himself can help it since his _mate_ keeps to himself most of the time, and he thinks it was some sort of a miracle he got more than a handful of words from the usually tight-lipped Alpha the previous night. Zoro is a succinct moron, heck laconic even! He talks only when he absolutely has to, and when he does, it’s brief and to the point. Sanji doesn’t dislike that man’s taciturnity, he doesn’t question the relationship blooming up with him either, but it’s his urgent thoughts that he can’t fight back; what if Zoro can’t trust him enough to tell him, does he even trust Sanji?”

These dark thoughts send him spiraling and finally crushing to the ground in agony.

They both fall into an uncomfortable silence, but Sanji is used to the quietness of his dear surrounding items, their soundlessness does somehow sound so pleasant. Usopp, on the other hand, is a growing teenage who can’t stay still; he’d take out his phone and play a loud game, and then roam around to eye the items, and then watch some videos on his phone again. Even Sanji finds his twitchiness more interesting than the book he’s reading about magic.

Lunch break is around the corner so Sanji picks up his phone and asks Usopp, “I’m ordering, what ‘you wanna eat?”

“Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Noodles” he offers, dryly.

“Dude,” Sanji makes a face, “you’re a werewolf, honor the species.”

Usopp glances up at him; he sighs exasperatedly and goes back to playing that game.

Minutes flee by when a motorcycle honks just outside the shop, Sanji yelps and goes outside to bring in the food. He comes back with two plastic bowels in his hand, he puts them down on the counter and inspects his pockets for change, he rummages more until Usopp scowls at him, “don’t tell me you ain’t got change, and here I went out of my way to pick the cheapest.”

“How thoughtful of you” Sanji scoffs, his nose crunching up with distaste. He finally finds the money and leaps towards the front door since the delivery guy is waiting. A few more moments until he comes back inside, a little pale and sweating, it even gets to Usopp who’s usually oblivious about details like these.

“You okay?” he asks, nodding his head towards the other’s face, flippantly.

Sanji wobbles and he finds the counter his sole savior at the moment as he tumbles on it with a loud thud.

Usopp finally perks up alert, the game on his phone going ignored for the meanwhile. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I felt it again,” Sanji mumbles in a hesitant whisper, “it’s lurking somewhere near.”

“What is?” Usopp demands, terror on his face.

There’s no point in explaining his new ranger-powers to Usopp, also, his headache is easing up gradually so he can just dismisses it for now, despite Usopp being awfully insistent.

 

Hours pass, and then Sanji declares trading hours are done and it’s closing time, for which Usopp makes a ‘yes’ punch in the air to celebrate, “finally, I can leave here! Gosh sitting around doing nothing is so boring!”

“But sitting around watching late general news isn’t?” shaking his head on a scoff, he adds, “Makes perfect sense.”

“Hey now,” Usopp protests, tottering in Sanji’s heel as the latter slides the shutter door down and watches its slats glint. “You know damn well why we watch the news.”

Sanji finally locks the padlock and stands up, adjusting the straps of the tote bag over his shoulder. He inspects their surroundings, unmindful of Usopp’s mitigating circumstances. The last rays of sun shy away and recede from view, sinking behind the mountains and leaving only traces of crimson shades in the sky.

“…not even many clients came so you’re not any better.”

It’s chilly, chillier than any other late August days, but it’s bearable, only if it wasn’t for Usopp’s sudden outburst of complaints.

“Sop,” he calls, “I’m going to my apartment now to rest, how about you go home too?”

The other shakes his head, “I’m supposed to switch with Luffy in” –He looks at his watch– “two hours from now.”

“I can’t believe this” He rolls his eyes in response, blowing out a frustrated breath. “Do you honestly think I’m the kind of man who’d go along with it just because your Alpha said so? No. Luffy has a family that will worry about him and I’m in no dire need for kids watching over me. Also, if Zoro tells you off then just let him be, the world doesn’t revolve around him.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Usopp reassures, “Lu has a very understanding family.”

“Well, I’m not.” The other deadpans, “and where the hell is Robin, I haven’t seen her in ages–” his phone starts vibrating. He takes it out and eyes its screen, he mouths _perfect_ just before he puts it on his ear, “are you out of your God damn mind?”

“Give the phone to Usopp.” The other demands, it’s deep yet somehow dangerous.

“Call his phone if it’s him you want.”

“It doesn’t connect.”

At this, Usopp takes out his own phone, “ah, it’s out of battery, guess it’s because I kept playing games nonstop.”

Sanji gives him a look, like he’s so done with everyone, and hands him the phone. He walks ahead to undo the chains rounding his bike’s wheels, hearing hears Usopp say “I understand, we’ll be heading there in a few.”

“Sanji, it seems you’re going to wait before you get back to your apartment. Robin is with Mr. Ronoa and the pack.” He tells him while handing him his phone back.

“What is she doing there?”

“Beats me.”

Sanji looks troubled for a moment judging by the frown over his brows.

“Let’s go there and find out.” Usopp shrugs, unflappably.

 

Their trek in the woods is again veiled with silence, but this silence Sanji can describe as wary as he can only hear the tires of his bike crunching the dry leaves beneath. He looked like this before, cautious and careful about the slightest whizzes and rustles, so it’s funny how he didn’t know then the things he does now.

They finally reach the house and Usopp walks in first because Sanji still has to park his bike. He walks in to the house once he’s done, and he sees all his new friends, with Robin, sitting on the couch beside Luffy –the couch that nobody should sit on but Nami and Keimi. “What’s going on here?”

“Oh, Sanji” Robin gushes rosily, “Are you feeling better now?”

He nods, “what brought you here,” he steps closer, “I thought we’d meet back in my apartment.”

She doesn’t deign to answer but only bows her head down.

Sanji looks around at Frank, who looks comfortable sitting on the ground as usual, and then at Nami, who decided leaning on the wall is more befitting of the sophisticated image she’s so desperately trying to maintain, he almost shudders at how she stands up to her title as the stuck-up red-haired. He looks at Keimi, sitting cross-legged and propping her elbows over her thighs for support. Lastly, he eyes Zoro, who decided not the floor, nor the wall was comfortable, but the coffee table is. He’s also still wearing his clothes from this morning, so it must mean something, right.

He watches how Luffy scrubs his hand over Robin back, and he suddenly comes to a bizarre conclusion, “are you pregnant?”

All of them –sans Zoro– gasp in unison and Keimi’s head trips off her hand.

“Where the hell did that come from?” She asks in disbelief.

Sanji lets out a long sigh of relief, tugs at his bag and slides it off his shoulder, “then I guess all is good.”

“She wants the _bite_.” Nami corrects.

“The what?” he barks. He looks at Nami, who grinds her teeth together for emphasis, which is really not necessary, and he switches to look at Robin, and then at Zoro, “would someone please explain what’s going on here? I feel like a complete idiot.”

“What else is new?” Usopp jokes, shrugging a shoulder.

“I’ll get back to you for that, long-nosed.” Sanji promises as he points a finger at Usopp, and then he quickly switches to stand beside Robin, “what do you want the bite for?”

“I came back from school but I was attacked, I couldn’t see who attacked me either.”

Sanji’s heart gives a vigorous beat, “were you hurt?” He asks, hands twitching to search her and inspect any wounds, and he does find some cuts over her shaking hands after a fast inspection.

“No, no.” She shakes her head, “it didn’t.” She says, “But, Sanji, I felt so helpless back then, even my tricks don’t work anymore. I wanted to talk to you about this before but we just didn’t have time to sit and talk properly.” She looks up at him with a face stung with wet traces of tears down her cheeks, “I’ve lost all the Gumiho’s powers, I’m absolutely powerless now.”

Sanji suddenly feels as if he’s standing on nothing or something chiefly jelly, he can’t feel the floor in spite it being hard and wooden. Okay, he’s aware of the fact that _he_ is the one who asked to know what’s going on, but oh boy, was he right in doing just that.

“That’s why I called Zoro and asked him to bring me here, and then I told him to give me the bite since he’s the Alpha anyway.”

Sanji brings up a hand, maybe to stop her for a second, “so you’re telling me you want to turn to one of those furry creatures knowing that the bite might even kill you?”

She nods.

He snorts, “what did you tell her?” he addresses Zoro, who simply shrugs at him.

“Come on, get your things.” He addresses Robin now, “we’re leaving.”

“But Sanji!” she protests, quickly levering up to meet his eyes.

“No buts,” he warns with a sharp look, “I can’t believe you didn’t even consult me about this. Why is nobody telling me anything in this house? I’m not too involved? Or am I convenient only when I’m playing your little bait.”

Zoro rises up to his feet too, a look of anger about his face, “you need to calm down.”

“No, Zoro, I can’t calm down.” He retaliates, shutting him up while flailing a hand wrathfully, “I can’t believe how little thought you give about this, keeping oblivious and playing this little werewolf drama of yours, turning teenagers into low IQ monsters for your own entertainment!”

“Sanji!” Robin calls in an urgent tone, “it’s my decision whether I want the bite or not, Zoro has nothing to do with it.”

“I am your guardian!” He shouts, “Doesn’t that count for anything? Do I mean so little to you too?

“You’re not making any sense.” she says defiantly, almost in a sob.

“No, I am the only one making sense here. In fact, I dare you prove me otherwise.” He throws a hand towards her direction, “you want the bite because you’re powerless? Well, hello? In case you haven’t noticed, that’s what being human feels like, _powerless_!” he grouches, “You wanted to be a human again, did you not?”

“Calm yourself!” Zoro demands again, prissily this time until Sanji shudders at the resonance of his voice. “I understand your wrath but it does not justify the way you disparage my pack.” He motions at them with a pair of dark eyes, and wait, why is he being so formal all of a sudden? “I can’t tolerate everything you say just because you’re my mate, and to be honest, my patience is running very thin tonight so I suggest you take your time and reflect on it. As for the bite, I give you my word that I have no interest whatsoever in turning her. I’m not her guardian.”

Sanji watches his mate carefully through scrutinizing eyes, _the way he disparages his pack?_ So amidst his tantrum, he’s said something off line again, and if he’s being honest with himself, thinking is the last resort he wants to succumb to; but the forlorn faces of the pack looking away from him urge him to.

Monsters _,_ he has called them, _Monsters_.

He bites his bottom lip and breathes in through his nose, “Zoro, you know I didn’t mean it like that.” He can’t even look the man in the eyes.

“I’m sure you didn’t.” Luffy scoffs from behind, “you were just angry, we should forgive you, _right_?” he offers with his cute lisp, now wrapping his arm around his girlfriend’s neck.

“This is another reason why I don’t like you.” Usopp reminds, “it’s always someone else’s fault but yours.”

“Let’s wrap it up and call it night.” Zoro announces, heading towards the flight of stairs that lead to the second story, “you can decide whether you want to stay or leave, the pack won’t intervene.” He says in undertone.

Sanji figures this is aimed at him, so he looks at Robin and makes a gesture with his head, “let’s go” he says, “come on.”

“You can leave if you want,” she mutters, darting her eyes to the floor, “I’m staying.”

He arches a brow, surprised and out of words. “Fine” he bitches, and grabs the tote bag. “You can play the vacillating damsel all you want, I’m sick of this.”

 

He walks outside, and the blackness of the night wraps around him, instantaneous in its approach. He doesn’t care anymore. He doesn’t want to be here anymore. He just wants to grab his bike, go back home and sleep the day off. But there he is, Luffy, following him and apparently deciding being affable to someone older than he is can go to hell for all he cares.

“What do you want?” Sanji shoos the other away. “Go back inside.”

“I have instructions to keep an eye on you.”

“Well, unfortunately for you, I don’t care.” Sanji huffs, “so if you’ll excuse me,” saying so, he walks ahead but he notices Luffy still distinctly following behind, “seriously, now!”

“Look, I’m just doing what I was told, it’s not like I’m dying to be with you!” he blares, watching the other with the most sedulous rage.

Sanji is now truthful with himself, and he’s come to a conclusion that it’d have been better if he kept his anger under his lock and key. And the way Luffy is behaving and talking serves Sanji right for derisively treating their ethereal differentiation with contempt. Who knows what these kids suffered in the past, who knows what Zoro’s reasons to give them the bite were. Sanji practically knows nothing, _nothing_ with capital N.

“Do you know what you smell like now?” the other asks suddenly.

“Stop smelling me,” Sanji mutters, “besides, how would I know such a thing.”

“You smell like jealousy.” The other points out.

Sanji doesn’t know why, but he’s certain he’s blushing. He should smell like rage, he should smell like anger! Heck he should smell like God’s _wrath_! Not… jealousy.

“You’ve been giving off this scent since you and Usopp walked into that house,” he says, shoving his hands into his pockets at a leisured pace. “Normally, and seeing what happened back there, you should give off anger,” he shrugs, “that’s why I can’t leave it alone, the way you sound and act is different from how you smell, it must mean something, wouldn’t you agree?”

The other can’t afford to answer the question, so silence is his only alternative.

“I think that you’re not being honest with your own feelings, Sanji.” He finally admits,  and isn’t just great, getting psycho-therapy by a freaking kid! “Maybe you were indeed enraged by what Robin’s done, I mean I get it, you took her in and gave her a place she can call home. Heck if it were me I’d have ripped her throat out the day she appeared as a Gumiho, but you were against it. You treated her like a normal human, which, to be quite frank with you, made me have a change of feelings about this whole superiority and inferiority issue, so I understand.” He says, and he scratches the tip of his left eyebrow now, “also, it’d be better if you start being honest with your own feelings, then even your relationship with the rest of the pack might, you know, get better.”

“Oprah?” Sanji jokes, “Oh, I know, Dr. Phil?”

The other rolls his eyes.

Sanji’s eyes drop to the ground, shoulders slouching and teeth working the bottom lip over, “they must hate me now” He mumbles, and he looks small and vulnerable.

“They don’t.” Luffy assures, “I’m a werewolf and I can tell a lie from the truth, okay maybe Usopp’s case is a little bit different, he doesn’t like a lot of people, but that’s only because you’re not honest with yourself.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Sanji peers up at the other with a blush across his cheeks.

“ _Because_ , even when you were angry, not a thing you said about us was the truth I mean according to your heartbeats that is.” He replies, “The pack knows this, our Alpha knows this, but you don’t, and because you can’t face your own feelings they’re going to make it a little bit hard on you from now on until you start speaking what you honestly feel.”

Sanji protests “I always speak what I honestly feel.”

Luffy gives him a wry smile, “No, you don’t.”

Sanji tsks and looks away again, “would it be insensitive of me now to quote a pop song?”

The other arches up a brow at him.

“How can it be you're asking me to feel the things you never show?” he quotes, “I know it requires time and patience, but damn it” He crouches down and the bike slumps on the wall again with a loud thump after he lets go of it, “I feel like the only thing that connects me to this place, and to all of you, is the bite Zoro gave me. You can’t possibly understand that. That’s why I don’t want to open up just yet, yes, I’m afraid of getting my heart broken, what if this happiness is only temporary, what if you guys get fed up with my meddling. I get uneasy and unsettled just thinking about it. To me, you guys are irreplaceable, you’ve become part of my life now but I can’t help but think you don't necessary feel the same,” He hugs his knees to his chest, “this is so unmanly of me” He complains, “and Zoro went out of his way to explain things to me to clear my doubts. I feel like I’m being ungrateful.”

“Guys!” Luffy suddenly shouts, “There you have it! Can I go in now? I’m starving!”

Sanji looks up, bewildered, then he sees the kids looking out the door with wide smiles across their faces. Luffy then bows down to meet Sanji’s eyes, “can I quote a song too?” he asks, “today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten.” He sings, he really knows how to belt out a song.

 

He walks inside with a pair of flushed cheeks, and he almost tears up at the sight of everyone –without Zoro, surrounding the table and leaving his spot on the couch untouched.

“Let’s eat before it gets cold.” Keimi offers with a gummy grin.

“We thought we’d give it a try and cook for a change, you always cook delicious food for us so we can’t promise the quality of this.” Nami confesses with a wide smile, and it downs on him that maybe this is the second time he’s seen her smile like that.

“Stop gaping at us like an utter imbecile,” Usopp ushers him to the table. “I’m sacrificing a lot by eating something that is nothing but appetizing.” He makes this snide remark and narrows his eyes at Sanji, like there’s a connotation he needs to dig out.

“Come on, we’re all hungry.” Frank instructs, guiding him to the table.

Robin taps the couch when he comes closer, “sit down.”

 

Later, he learns that Zoro has already had a meal outside at a dinner meeting, that’s why he didn’t join them. Now, Sanji is flicking the lights of the bathroom off on his way out when Robin comes in his way.

“Sanji,” she starts, and she doesn’t feel disappointed when said male looks away, “I’m sorry about before.”

“No, you have nothing to–”

“Shut up.” she cuts him off, “I admit that what I did was wrong, I should have consulted you first. I’ll never do anything without your permission again.” She promises, “also, you thought I was suddenly a fair-weather? Well, even I’m not that much of a superficial. I just suddenly felt really scared when I was attacked, now I completely understand how hard it must be on you.” She smiles joyfully, “being a human is kind of scary, but if you can do it, I can too.”

He looks at her with proud eyes.

“This is all I wanted to say, for now.” She points out, “and since the misunderstanding is cleared out, there’s still one person whom you need to talk to, and I don’t suppose he didn’t join us for dinner merely because he wasn’t hungry.” She hints, on cue. “Well then, good night, sweetheart.” She shines up with a smile, and quietly retreats to her and Usopp’s room.

All the lights are turned off and he’s the only one left standing in the corridor. He looks ahead, the door of Zoro’s bedroom is closed, oh man, the Alpha’s den is a scary place to be at.

 

He knocks a couple of times, and finally enters. Zoro is obviously sound asleep. Sanji clicks his lips again for his running luck, but he decides to leave his hesitations at the door as he walks towards the bed, and pauses for a moment. No, he’s decided to abandon his hesitations, has he not? He raises the quilt and slips stealthily under it. He’s quite grateful to Frank for lending him one of their sweatpants and shirts, he can at least sleep more comfortably now.

Zoro is sleeping beside him, though all he can see of him is his broad back and his wide shoulders rising with every breath he takes; werewolves are such a… reminiscent of every earthly miracle.

A sudden feeling washes over him; it’s novel and yet sweet. He doesn’t hate it.

He skids closer to Zoro’s back, resting his forehead between the other's shoulder blades to feel the warmth radiating and filling him up. “Zoro…” he croaks out, afraid even one wrong octave would fight this new feeling off.

“Did you think well about it?” Zoro asks, but it’s somehow not sudden, it’s reassuring.

Sanji nods.

“Did you reflect?” He asks again, his voice so deep, he’s really here.

“Yes, Zoro, I reflected on it.” He nods fervently, face nuzzling against the other’s back.

Zoro shuffles and finally turns around to face him, “hope you learned your lesson now.”

“Yes, I did.” Sanji links his arms around Zoro’s middle, slanting right into his space, “I’ve learned my lesson so stop giving me the cold shoulder, I even cried. I can’t stand it anymore.”

“There,” Zoro embraces hiù, “sorry for making you cry.”

Sanji nuzzles the other’s chest, clasping and pressing more against him as though if he let go the man would vanish. “Told you before to beat me back to my senses if I lost it, I hate it when I’m emotional.”

“Noted, this time for real.” Zoro chuckles, sweetly. Now he leans in to the other’s ear, “I missed you.” He whispers.

His heart has never given such a joyful leap in his entire shabby life. Even though Sanji can’t hide his embarrassment, he stills attempts to act differently, “Jeez, we just saw each other this morning.” God! That was the sweetest thing he’s heard in years.

Zoro Leans in into Sanji’s neck, “what did they tell you about being true to your feelings?” he reminds, “You’re quite a handful, Sanji.”

Sanji winces when teeth nib his earlobe, but it doesn’t hurt, if anything, it’s quite arousing. He lists his head up with a sigh when Zoro moves his hand along his back, and up to his shoulder blades, kneading very slowly, sensually. “You’re quite a handful yourself, didn’t you say we’d better sit tight until you break off the engagement–”

Zoro cuts him off when he plunders those lips of his, his own dainty hands go up to Zoro’s hair to grab it, “wait…” he mutters, attempting to pull away from the kiss despite the fact that pulling away from the kiss is the last thing is on his mind. Kissing Zoro is a fucking haven. “I don’t want–” His lips are seized by Zoro’s again, urging him to part more, which Sanji fails to avoid as he slowly gets swept with the anaesthetizing kiss. He moans into it and rides the rhythm of their simultaneous movements. He can feel Zoro’s lips capturing his bottom one, so he snakes out his tongue and Zoro smirks, bringing his own tongue to touch the other’s, and Sanji can’t believe the sounds they’re making, sticky and wet, and he can even feel how his own saliva is dripping down his jaw. He’s literally being kissed drunk. He pulls away when his lungs finally itch, pleading for some air. “I wish you’d stop doing this all of a sudden.” he huffs.

“Come on, I’m not a miracle worker here.” Zoro jokes, and even Sanji can’t stop the twitching of his lips and he finds himself laughing, at last. “At last,” Zoro points it out. “You smiled.”

“Yea, don’t get used to it.” He chides, “Damn it, now what should I do with Sanji Jr.?”

Zoro braces his weight on his elbow, his eyes flicking to Sanji’s groin. “I can–”

“No, thank you.” Sanji cuts him off, rolling his eyes, god, he doesn't even want to listen to the rest of it, “damn it, don’t make me hard knowing it’d end like this for me!” He almost sobs.

“Here,” Zoro tries to pull Sanji’s sweatpants down when the latter squeaks “not a damn chance!”

His threat –was it a threat? Goes ignored when Zoro adjusts his position under the bedspread and over Sanji. “I’m leaving town tomorrow, so make do with this until I get back.”

Sanji lies on his pillows, head tilting a little forward just enough to see what Zoro is doing, “you are? Well, safe trip.”

“What, aren’t you going to ask why I’m leaving?” he questions, his hands working on taking off the other’s sweatpants.

Sanji peers up at the ceiling, “figured you’d turn me down anyway, I mean would it make a difference if I actually asked... nngh!” a moan escapes his lips when Zoro suddenly grazes his cock with his teeth through the fabric of his boxers, “told you to wa–” he cuts himself off when he feels Zoro’s lips pressing against it, knowing it’s slowly hardening and standing erect under the palpable ministration. He can’t see what Zoro is doing since he’s under the quilt, he can only feel him. Zoro is frigging _touching_ his _cock_ with his _mouth_! And his senses are strangely heightened for it. He feels it more when Zoro furls the waistband of his boxers downwards and his cock springs free.

But so out of the frigging blue, Zoro chuckles.

“That’s weird.” Sanji comments, brows crunching together as he ignores how Zoro’s hot breaths fan on the tip of his cock. There isn’t a dancing monkey on his shaft, is there?

“It’s just” –Zoro clears his mouth– “this is the first time I’m seeing it.”

Sanji falls silent now, contemplating something about Zoro’s lower body, how he also has never seen beyond the fabric, beyond the bulge, and how he anticipates it every god damn time Zoro’s name is mentioned.

Something warm, soft and wet touches the tip of Sanji’s cock, and he knows Zoro’s lips are initiating their thing. He brings all his motions to a dead standstill, waiting with a face awash by ecstasy and embarrassment fused together.

Zoro wraps his lips on the head and takes it in bit by bit, slowly, and teasingly.

Sanji’s head falls back, golden strands spilling on the pillow. His blue eyes flutter shut as he savors the feeling of Zoro’s mouth sucking his cock and his stubble adding in friction, something he’s never even dreamt of. He pants helplessly, deep sighs getting drawn out as he momentarily loses himself in the sensation, the best sensation in the world. Eventually, it only lasts until his eyes snap open after he is reminded of the pack, “Zoro, shit, they can hear me…”

Zoro responds by giving the other’s cock a vigorous suck that soon forces Sanji’s hesitant moan out, loud and clear to the ear. He clutches at the sheets beneath with a hand, covers his mouth with the other. “This is... the best” he breathes out, “Zoro, fuck” he begs between urgent gasps and moans, “let me see” he grouches, “wanna see.”

Zoro doesn’t grant his wish; if he wants to see then he can help himself.

Which Sanji does moments later, and the sight of Zoro sucking him eagerly fills him with astonishment and genuine want.

Sanji’s hand makes a slow gesture to touch Zoro’s head but is rewarded by a hefty shove, “God you talk too much, and stop moving” Zoro demands, an acute demand that Sanji complies to. Zoro presses more and this time he only flaps his tongue at the tip of his mate’s cock, determined to make him come just from that.

“Oh God, Zoro!” Sanji’s heavy-blushed cheeks and half-lidded eyes are alluring like blended eaux-de-vie under the moonlight, “I’m ‘nna, gonna, oh _fuck_ , let go already!” He is finally a mess, gasping and begging for mercy, but that Zoro is not ready to offer yet. “Oh _God_!” he shouts, unable to keep his appreciation to himself anymore, “Zoro, let go I’m begging you!” tears now slide down his cheeks, but it might take more than just tears to put a stop to Zoro’s apparently skillful mouth.

Sanji’s never felt like this, he’s never felt this _good_! He can even hear his own heartbeats high rocketing with every bullet of pleasure that pierces through his veins and settles across his abdomen. He finds salvation at last when Zoro slurps the precum from the head of his cock and a sudden spurt of cum gushes out. Sanji arches his back with a restrained yet ridiculously sultry whimper.

Zoro has just sucked him off, and he fucking enjoyed it the whole time it lasted.

 

Zoro’s face hovering above his and the sounds of rain drumming on the window pane are the last thing Sanji sees before finally drifting off to sleep.

 

He wakes up to a different sound, it’s aggravating, insistent.

Someone is interrupting his sleep by being awfully loud pounding on the front door. He wakes up to a different feeling, it’s painful, and it’s familiar. It’s his headache stepping up its game and deciding the usual dose of crippling pain is not satisfying anymore. Sanji’s eyes part open at the sudden realization that pain in his tattoo only hits when something is skulking him. He sits up abruptly, examines the room, the morning light surging in from the windows and then the bed, there’s just him. He slips off of the bed and goes to answer the door. He’s concluded that no one is home since no one has answered it before him. Maybe they felt awkward after what happened last night inside the Alpha’s den, embarrassed even, and he doesn’t blame them, even he doesn’t know with what face he ought to look at Zoro when they meet.

He opens the door with a preoccupied mind and there are five claws slicing through his skin once the door is open. He falls back, wheezing in agony, blood gushes out of his chest in a beautiful crimson.

“Has no one ever taught you that bigamy is illegal?”

He looks up at his attacker, and his own eyes widen in disbelief; if his memory isn’t playing damn tricks on him, that’s Zoro’s fiancée, Rona, standing atop him like impending doom, giving no damn care to the world after slicing open his chest.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * You can read about Bak Hyeokgeose here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyeokgeose_of_Silla


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's not very explicit, but I keep first times behind curtains. Thank you so much for the kudos and the comments, it means the world to me! Keep them coming, though ;D

  


  


****

The accusation literally throws him off, Sanji quickly jerks up, his heart racing beneath his ribs. “Um” he starts after eying her mini and floral dress that doesn’t suit her malevolent eyes, “no one has really imparted that into my ear before, first time for everything.”

“I had a feeling you’d be nothing but trouble the first day I saw you,” Rona says, her tone haughty and condescending as she slants dangerously towards him and finally grabs him by the collar, only to lift him off the floor and look into his eyes with her hazel ones, hostility swirling deep within, “Since you’ve been informed about their true nature, I shall ask you this,” she says, uninterested by Sanji’s little gasps for air, “Do you know what happens when you decide to steal someone else’s fiancé, and not just anyone, an Alpha werewolf?”

“You’re an Alpha, too?” he wheezes out.

She smirks and sends him airborne to the wall behind until the windows rattle from the impact, “So you thought you’d slip through the net without knowing that both, Zoro and myself, are Alphas?” she tilts her head, even looking refreshed after the exertion.

“I certainly can’t deny your power that pertains to supernaturalism,” he scoffs, unimpressed, "but do you think you can lower the dose a little bit?" he says after suddenly coughing up the blood that’s suddenly heaped down his throat. “This is the second time I get thrown off to a wall, damn it.”

“You can act all blasé about the danger you’re in now all you want” –she’s making a threat but Sanji can’t help but cut in to joke with a ‘That’s some riveting news’ while dusting off his clothes and rising up to his feet. She glowers at him and continues, “But you’re going to regret it when I’m done with you.”

“Believe me, sweetheart” he frowns sympathetically, “you’re not the first to threaten me with that.”

“Well, let me have the honor of being the last.” She brightens up spookily with a Cheshire grin that is superfluously beyond Sanji’s perception of evil. He narrows his eyes, planning to be as careful as he can dealing with the walking case of mental breakdown who decided to drop by uninvited, but miracles aside, what can a powerless human do against an Alpha werewolf that is twice as fast, accurate and deadly than he is? Not that he’s saying he’s deadly. Wait, is he deadly?

Focus, Sanji.

He eyes the room for a weapon, but all he finds are some half-empty cereal bowls and orange juice cups spread on the coffee table. He absently notes it in his head to deal with the pack’s messy habits. There are some books beside the TV, and he wonders if it’d work if he smacked her upside the head by one thick, fat book, maybe even break some cups on her face, too. Amidst his distraction, she launches forward with such a speed as though The Road Runner made it out of the aforementioned TV because Wile E. was becoming a hindrance. Her claws flick out and it’s a second late until Sanji sees it and uses both his arms to cover his face. She slices through the skin of his forearms, and he can soon feel warm liquid running down his elbows; this metallic tang, he’s come accustomed to it by now. It’s the scent of his blood.

 

It slowly sinks in: she’s holding sway over this whole ‘one-sided’ fight with two Dr. Glendon fists. He’s powerless against her speed, claws and oh my God what is she elongating her fangs for?

The pack never mentioned anything about alpha Werewolves dinning on scrawny humans, well, there’s Zoro with yesterday’s blowjob. Not the point!

Maybe it’s time to run away, at least until he thinks up something a little effective if not smart to hold her down, if not to completely stop her. He hears her shriek with a loud laugh when he hides behind the couch where he usually sits with Zoro. Focus, Sanji, it’s not the time to reminisce about such beautiful memories, there’s a freaking alpha werewolf in the living room that is not only adamant to kill him, but she’d do so painfully. This is his life now, brimming with redundant threats from supernatural creatures to tear his body limbs apart that he’s starting to feel like it’s literally already happening with all the blood gushing out from one of his forearms and his chest. Okay, he’s decided that if he gets out of this alive, he’s done with this werewolfic crap; he’s going to leave all this behind and take a long vacation to the Never Never Land.

And then he sees it, the tote bag which contains The Spells of Old Magic book he found back in the shop the other day.

He might be desperate by resorting to this, but it’s his only hope he determines _,_ get out of this alive or die trying.

He skims through its pages, looking only for any powerful spell to use against her.

There, he finds a good one, _How to cast a fire bolt spell_ :

 _A fire bolt belongs to the element of fire, flame_ …blah blah. He seriously doesn’t have time to read a fucking introduction, just get on with it. If he wants to cast a fire bolt spell, what does he need?

 _To cast a fire bolt, you are required to have_ :

 _A pentagram_ , “shit, I don’t have a damn pentagram; this is the damn 21st century!”

 _Blood_ , “Ok, that I have” –he checks the blood that is still spilling out of the claw cuts on his porcelain skin– “plenty of it”

 _Voice_ , “Perfect, I also have this, now what do I need to do?”

Before he even gets his answer, a hand fists his hair and pulls him backward; he winces and almost jumps half out of his skin, yet keeping a promise to himself to never let go of that book. “I can’t believe it, you’re so persistent!” he chides “No wonder Zoro can’t stand you.”

She pauses, “What is that supposed to mean?”

Great, reverse psychology rocks! This can buy him some time until he reads the rest of the page. “Zoro doesn’t like psychotically annoying people, and you, Miss, are psychotically annoying.” He gives away just this much while quickly skimming through the witchery addendum.

 _To activate the pentagram_ (which he doesn’t even have) _place a drop of blood in all empty areas that do not make the star_ … (Okay so this is useless if he doesn’t have the pentagram... or maybe he should make one then).

“Don’t feed me lies!” she retorts.

“He told me so himself.” He tells her, fervently. Yea right, as if Zoro speaks more than a handful of words to begin with, but nobody likes a psychotic girlfriend, Sanji is basically doing Zoro a favor.

She crouches lower a little just to talk near his ear, “let me be completely frank, I never thought that Zoro would get involved with someone while already having a fiancée, not to mention a _human_ ; so the other day when we met, he had this strange scent over him, it wasn’t his, and I’m a jealous person” –a vast fucking understatement, pancake– “so to find out what that scent had been I came here and I found you in this place, already acting like you own it.” She sighs, “But then Zoro got upset and told me to leave you alone. Next time, he called in and requested we meet with our families, and he suddenly said he wanted to break off our engagement.” She flushes with anger for a beat, but then arches her brows as if she’s just realized something, “he smelled a little differently, he smelled stronger of you. It’s your scent that he’s been soaking in while already having me as his fiancée!” She’s slowly beginning to shout, not realizing that Sanji has half finished drawing the pentagram on the floor with his own blood. “So I started watching you, it was so disgusting watching you two like that. I had so many chances to finish you off, but his annoying pack kept getting in the way by always sticking close to you.”

“So you were the one stalking me this whole time?” He marvels, disbelievingly.

“Yes,” She sing-songs, “well they couldn’t smell me because I’m an Alpha and I know how to mask my scent. I called Zoro last night and told him to come over because thank God I live out of this miserable town, and I told him that I agree with breaking off the engagement so he said he’d come the next day.” She heaves out a happy sigh, “but you see, that was a lie. When I called him I was already here in town, my plan was to send him away from you, hoping the pack would do the same.”

For a moment, Sanji feels a strange shudder goes down his spine.

“Now, it’s just the two of us here. Zoro is going to find out that I’m not there, and when he comes back, he’s going to find a bloody surprise waiting for him on the forefront of Yecheon’s Welcome signboard.”

Sanji’s stomach turns a few loops at that as he grits his teeth.

“Do you know how much I waited for Ronoa Zoro’s family to finally come and ask for my hand? I was finally able to get near his family’s wealth. My family is also rich but it’s more about title since our history goes way back to some old boring battles, and the Ronoas own most of the country so it’s keyed to my expectations, but here you are, landing me with the hassle of going after all this trouble just to get rid of you.”

Sanji suddenly chants:

“ **By the moon**

**The stars and the sun,**

**By the Gods**

**The Goddesses and the Ancient Ones,**

**Blessed be my blood**

**Fulfill my wish and send the holy light**.”

The two of them become silent until a gushing light starts glowing from Sanji’s chest, its hues slowly turning bluish.

Rona’s eyes bug out when she sees it, having finally come to place the pieces together, “a _witch_!” she exclaims.

Okay, first, lady, rude! And second, he doesn’t have an old, dusty broomstick under his clothes. Though, that’d be really convenient, riding it to and fro work.

Before she could even pull back to safety, the light turns into a fire bolt in the size of a hand ball and darts towards her in a clashing manner. She lets out a loud squeak and gets repelled backwards, falling on the book shelves and groaning with agony.

Sanji is in a moment of disbelief, shock even; he didn’t just cast a spell and summon a freaking fire bolt! Okay, there’s a word for a skill like that: ‘beginner’s luck’ pretty covers it. Damn, he can gasp and cheep all he wants but only after he gets out of here, as soon as possible too because Rona is slowly recovering from the impact of the hit, the shock, too.

Tottery, he grabs the bag and scurries towards the front door, finally meeting with the sun that is always abundantly warm. He looks around, aimlessly for a second until he decides to take his bike and go downtown.

He’s never pedaled this fast in his life. Should he represent his country in the Olympics, then?

He needs to cut down on sweets, though, if he wants to participate. His tummy is getting fat and his legs are no longer in shape _._

He reminds himself, hurriedly, that he has no frigging idea why he’s decided to give himself a checkup now of all times, in case he hasn’t noticed, there’s a Kali lookalike chasing his bike –minus two arms. His tummy is suddenly not his first concern anymore and nor is the were after him as this new thought takes over his mind: Zoro really told them he wanted to break off the engagement...

Somehow, he feels special.

Like a fart which you can’t stop, the suddenness of the next attack knocks him out of his senses as he crashes to the ground with his bike, groaning in pain.

“That’s supposed to be a fire bolt? Cute.” She fleers, sending him a derisory glance.

He winces as soon as he tries to sit up; mother trucker, dude, something along his ribs hurts like a butt-cheek on a stick!

"I think that throwing-people move is kinda cool but I don't get the point of doing it repeatedly, ruins that portion of the supposedly ‘sudden attack’ and it's a little too 'in your bones' painful." Sarcasm, yes, your best weapon when you're practically out of options.

“Humans,” she lets out a full bodied sigh, “so weak, so fragile” she comments with a look of disgust about her face, “so selfish, greedy by all the entirety of the word. Mortals like you don’t deserve to be with Zoro.” She concludes, now giving him a spiteful glare.

"’Says the girl who's dying to score some bankrolls." He scoffs.

He’s known this on a repetitive basis: She. Wants. Him. Dead. So the smartest thing to do is call up for backup. He can’t take care of her by himself, and he can’t rely on his magic alone, if he keeps this up, he’s a dead man walking.

The phone is in his bag, and the bag was somehow flung a few feet away. He peeks at it but she tilts her head in acknowledgment, catching on his motives and deterring them. “Are you thinking of calling up the pack?”

He swallows, and it feels like a knife is slowly and corrosively thrusting into his chest as pains flare up across his body now. There isn’t a lot of blood coming out of his arms, but things aren’t looking for his chest. At this rate, he could really die.

She leans to pick up the bag, heaving another huff in the process, “I can’t let you do that,” she taunts, “I don’t want anyone interrupting us. Besides, kids should stay at school and let grownups be.” Saying so, she slopes into his space again and grabs him by the neck, yanking his shirt and lifting him up, and Sanji rolls his eyes because he know what’s coming next and he braces for it as she throws him against the trunk of a large tree.

He whimpers when his body slams against it, and then he flops onto the dirt and the dry leaves, the pain in his chest intensifies that he actually sees stars. He’d bear with it, without a doubt, he’s only disappointed that the bag is far from his reach now.

He slumps against the tree, his hand palming his chest, his breathing ragged.

The fear he’s felt fleetingly has last come to an end. He can’t die like this, he _won’t_ die like this, not by the hand of a werewolf, and certainly not by the hand of Zoro’s fiancée.

He rages at himself to concentrate. There was a spell for How to Summon the Power of Storms, but the weather won’t work for his advantage, assuming that this factors in this whole magic-using gibberishes. Heck he might not even be able to summon it even if it was cloudy, that fire bolt was pure luck; so what else, there wasn’t a How to Get a Better Life but there certainly was a How to Create a Portal for Escape spell, it might be exactly what he needs to buy him a little time–

His thoughts get interrupted by her claws as they swipe across his face, but this time he doesn’t dodge. If he remembers the incantation right –which goes like

“ **Powers of the angels rise,**

**Bring your blessings as the fear dies.**

**Send me into your heavenly dive,**

**Take me to where my loves revive**.”

Then the magical portal should open in any second now.

Sensing the danger, she suddenly recoils and jumps swiftly rearward, watching Sanji getting up to his feet only to face the tree trunk. He steps –tumbles– towards it, hoping it won’t be just wood. He removes his hand from where it has been clutching at and he slowly stretches it towards the bole, and it gets sucked into the wood and slowly turns into a circular waving blackness. He brightens up in spite of all that blood covering his face. And then, he closes his eyes after taking a deep breath, and he walks into it.

 

When he parts his eyes open, he finds himself standing at the same cliff he and Zoro stood at before and talked about feral children. He inspects his surroundings: the greenish lands, and the fields of dandelions blowing in the wind, the crimson sky and the gentle breeze. This is where the incantation has taken him to; this is where he’s escaped to, to where his love revives.

“Using such a dangerous spell, are you a genius or plain stupid?” Someone jeers from behind.

Sanji’s shoulders give a shaky jerk. He whips around and sees Rona simpering contemptuously at him. “How –wait, don’t tell me you can fly too!”

She snorts, “I guess you’re just plain stupid then," she taps her nose with a delicate yet bloody finger, "my nose, I followed the scent of your blood. I also assume you haven’t realized that you’ve moved us further in time, have you?”

His eyes widen, “come again?”

“When we were in the woods, it was morning, and now it’s nearly five o’clock, in the _afternoon._ ” She explains on a nonchalant shrug.

He monitors the background as a sudden gust of wind ruffles his silky hair, he then looks up at the sky, and he now understands what those crimson shades mean.

“Only supernatural creatures are going to notice this slip in time, or the time leap, if you will, so I'm guessing the pack must be already on their way here,” she’s looking absentmindedly somewhere in her left side. "Your scent is very special, even while fighting you I feel a great rush starting to take over me. You're no ordinary witch, I give you that, but I assume your powers have just been awakened, so you're weak. You didn't even know that after casting a spell such as this you give up something in return. But rest assured, I'll make sure to take you out of your misery soon."

His face darkens for a moment, and then he wets his lips, “You need to leave me alone,” he warns, fuck, even The Brides of Dracula knew when to step back when told to, and the bitches were even more vicious. “I still have a few tricks on me so you’d better watch out.”

“Oh, yea?” She juts her chin at him, “your wits? If that’s the extent of your power then I’m perfectly safe, thank you very much.”

“You have a point,” he nods, agreeing, “Okay, let me try one last trick then.”

She shrugs at him.

He tries another spell, he doesn’t know for what it is used, but if he still remembers the spell then he can just cast it and see what it does. But when he’s done, nothing really happens. She can’t help but let out a ridiculing laugh and he doesn’t blame her for it, really.

“You’ve had your chance,” she crouches, looking at him with intent eyes, “now I’ll have mine.”

He looks at her harrowingly, he doesn’t even know what to expect at this point.

She slants a little and charges at him again, disappearing for a fragment of a second and reappearing right in front of his face. It’s just a fleeting second, but he can see her beautiful hazel eyes looking right into his, and being the stupid head that he is, he convinces himself that if this young woman wasn’t this much of a clingy psycho, then Zoro would have gotten himself a beautiful wife with beautiful hazel eyes. He wants to tell her that himself, but all he can do is smile to her ruefully, which doesn’t bode well with her being a painfully honest account of what the term psycho holds in horridness, a psycho whose werewolf-y claws are digging clean through his chest. He coughs up and blood comes gushing out of his mouth and splashing onto her forearm, tainting the one place of her forearm’s skin where it hasn’t gotten any red.

“Rona!” Someone growls from behind, this fear-provoking voice is familiar…

“Oh, you finally came.” She chants, “It was starting to get quite boring, but since you’re already here, why don’t you have a look?”

She rocks Sanji, who groans in return.

“We had a one-on-one; he lost, I won.” She shrugs, pursing her lips, “his powers aren’t much to speak of either, so this will teach him to never go after someone else’s fiancé.”

Slowly, her claws dig out of his chest and he lets out a doleful whimper.

When her hand lets go of him so she can turn around and look upfront, Sanji slumps to the ground with the absence of anything immobile to hold him on his feet. He clutches at his chest to stop the blood from leaving him only a colorless corpse.

Someone gasps, horrified, it’s a female’s gasp, “Rona, What have you done!”

The curiosity takes over Sanji so he looks up to see who’s come tardy to his rescue, finding the pack fanning across from him. But instead of frowning, he smiles at their presence. But then his eyes meet Zoro’s red ones, and he fears it, he fears the fact that there’s a ninety nine percent chance for Zoro to let the anger of his inner wolf take control of him; however, said male surprises him when he displays steady interaction skills.

“We were engaged merely for the sake of family titles,” Zoro seethes, “but now that I’ve already broken off the engagement, I have the right to kill you right here and now for hurting him.”

“You can’t be serious” she protests “you can’t be serious about this _mortal_!”

“Nothing connects me to you anymore so I believe that is none of your business.” He tells her, offhandedly.

“Ha!” she puffs, “wait until I tell everybody that your mate is not only a mortal, but a witch too!”

The rest of them scowl, doing a double mental check on that one.

“You know that marking a witch is taboo for werewolves,” she reminds him, smirk deepening manically, “if the clan elders hear about this, they’re going to exile you and annihilate him.”

“Not gonna happen.” Zoro deadpans.

“But oh wait,” her eyes do an uncanny glint, “it’s already too late, he has a few minutes only before his heart stops. I guess that’s what you get for marking an unskillful witch.”

“Take care of his wounds,” Zoro instructs a few of his pack, “Leave her to me.”

A few scurrying steps come closer to his direction, and Sanji opens his eyes, the sky meets him first, and then Robin’s face comes into view, “Sanji” she lifts his head very slowly to rest it on her lap, “Sanji, oh God, look at all this blood!” Her hands ghost over his face, not sure where to touch.

He closes his eyes in gratitude, the smile not wanting to leave his lips.

“Sanji,” Nami calls out, scared and beautiful, “this injury, we need to do something about it.”

“She’s an alpha! What if his wound doesn’t heal?” Robin complains, terror slowly seizing her.

“I don’t think it’s that bad, she didn’t bite him so he’s safe.”

“Zoro…” Sanji mutters once his eyes open and meet their worried ones again, “what is he…?”

They both look to their Alpha’s direction, and so does Sanji.

Zoro is standing before his fiancée, shirtless. Taut muscles shift and jut when he rolls his shoulders, whole body tense with anger. Frank and Luffy in his left and right, at the far side of the dandelion field, Keimi and Usopp are slanting over a boulder.

“It’s a fight between two Alphas,” Nami comments, “it’s going to be ugly.”

“I can’t even look.” Robin yelps, “What happens when –if he wins.”

“If Mr. Ronoa wins, he can kill her and keep his current mate, but if _she_ wins” –she snakes out her tongue to her dry lips– “she can kill the current mate and keep the Alpha as her official fiancé.”

They fall into a scary silence, watching the two alphas glare at each other’s red eyes, challenging, and their forms uptight yet graceful to the human eyes, to anything with taste, really. And Sanji is a guy with taste; he got off on thoughts of Zoro not long ago. A haze of divine light sheds on just the two of them after the sun angles sideways, and just like the rest, Sanji also props up a little with the help of Robin to watch as moments flee by without anyone saying anything.

“This is a fight to the death.” Rona tells her ex-fiancée, defiantly.

“Let’s not belabor the obvious,” he replies back, begrudgingly, “my mate is waiting for me, so” –he ushers her to attack with a hand– “bring it on.”

She crouches like a predator aiming its located prey, growling at him.

He ducks downward just a little, snarling in return, a snarl so deep and vibrating; it sends cold sweat to Sanji’s already shivering body.

The two finally clash in a violent collision, claws flicking and grazing every side of the skin. Zoro receives a few scratch marks to his chest but he doubles the bout by giving her wounds to her neck and chest. She punches his stomach and he grasps her arm and flips her over his shoulder and onto the ground that she lands with a buffed breath of air. He makes a fist and sends it to her face but she claws at his knees, he totters momentarily but quickly regains his balance, so she wraps her arm around his neck after doing a backward flip but he grabs her hair and throws her against the boulder the other two have just been leaning on, Rona lands on it with a loud thump, and she slowly slides to the ground. Zoro then uses his supernatural speed to catch up to her but she’s not a fool to fall for that, she quickly scrambles to her feet and kicks the other away by a side turn, all the while, lashing on him again and straddling his back when he falls on his stomach, but Zoro can’t allow himself to get restrained like that, so he uses his leg and knocks her head with a back kick, she jolts forward and he uses this chance to plant his claws into her neck, but she quickly slants to her left and rolls away.

This might go on forever.

Sanji’s eyes flutter, he can’t watch them fight. He doesn’t want to _see_ them fight. He wants to shout it out, he wants to bonk their heads together and tell them it’s freaking idiotic to fight over this, werewolves’ rules be damned! But he’s too weak to do any of that, and if it wasn’t for Robin’s shaky hands that are forcibly pressing his wound, he’d have long since been drained out of it. Also, if he uses his head just a little, he can easily see how intent Rona is on killing him since he’s stolen her fiancé, so, when amongst werewolves do what werewolves do.

He needs to do something, he _has_ to do something!

He finds it when he wills the gears of his brain to wheel; a little thinking can do wonders.

“Bag.” he says in a feeble undertone.

The two girls hovering above him reel their heads to him, “what is it, Sanji?”

“Bring me the bag.” He motions to them with a weak wave.

“What bag?” Robin wonders, avidly.

“We brought his bag with us, remember?” Nami reminds, touching gently that hand he’s just tiredly waved, “what do you need it for?”

To strangle himself with its straps, what do you think, Nami?

His pupils slide under his lids, succumbing to fight the sweet temptation of falling into a painless sleep; but Robin doesn’t make it easy for him as she presses his stinging wound and he jerks up, groaning.

“His heartbeats are getting weaker, they almost stopped just now!” Nami comments, if he ever needed a commentary.

Zoro suddenly pauses in the middle of the fight, alarmed; he looks towards Sanji and suddenly shouts, “Can’t you even hold on for a few damn minutes?”

Sanji rolls his eyes, annoyed. “Stupid fur ball” he croaks, _“_ You don’t have a freaking hole the size of a satellite in your chest.”

Zoro recommences the fight again.

Keimi scurries towards them with the bag in a hand, “I overheard your conversation, I don’t know what you need it for though.”

Sanji sits up with their help, and he takes the book out of the bag, “spell” he starts, “I casted a spell earlier.”

“You did? You can manipulate magic!” Robin practically hollers.

“Mm” he nods, tiredly. He’s too drained to demonstrate his awesomeness for her.  “Last one, I need to” –he coughs up more blood now and ignores the worried looks they’re boring into him– “I need to find it, damn it…”

“So you really are a witch.” Nami with this crestfallen look in her eyes like the damn apocalypse has been started.

He turns the pages, messily; “that’s supposed to be my fight, I can't allow him to kill her. I don't want him to feel responsible about it afterwards." He turns more pages but the dried blood over his digits makes fun of him. Think again, jerk. "Damn, _damn it_!"

“Just tell us what you need.” the girls beg, sounding despaired.

He doesn’t have time to explain, he can feel his consciousness slipping through the cracks to fail him soon. He has to find the last spell he casted and see just what exactly went wrong since he’s sure now it was a spell to summon a fire wall for protection. There, he finds it, it’s the spell he’s casted; except it’s not a spell to summon a fire wall, it’s a spell to repel, counterattack, backfire and copy any attack. But the instructions say that even after you cast the spell, it still won’t be activated until you sacrifice something in return, and that thing has to be of equal value.

He frowns, a shriek cuts off his train of thoughts when Zoro breaks Ronan’s back, but she’s a werewolf so she heals from it, and all this is not a dream. Makes him wonder why he isn’t already heading right for the nutty farm with a straitjacket on.

What can he sacrifice, what is this thing of equal value?

He moistens his lips with his saliva; “Okay, so not every valuable object is merely an object, I mean relatively speaking, valuables can be spiritual elements too, or sources of concentrated energy, right?” he babbles, awestricken eyes on the book.

The girls look at him, baffled.

“I mean since I’m a vessel and I have the Imugi’s power inside me, well it’s only logical. That sorcerer was the one who said he had used his own powers to remove Ryu’s and place it in a vessel, except none of this now seems logical” –he mumbles the rest and the girls look even more confused, Gosh, they’ve never been this useless– “no,” his eyes widen as realization strikes him harder than Zoro’s punches, “wait a damn second, if the sorcerer had to use _his_ powers to transform Ryu’s and place it into a vessel, then it’s only natural that those powers of his were transformed in the process too, and since I was able to cast two spells now I think that was not just a beginner’s luck, it was, in fact, the sorcerer’s powers combined with Ryu’s. This might explain why the fire bolt worked since I used my own blood to draw the pentagram–”

“You drew a pentagram with your blood!” Keimi gasps. That’s probably the only thing she comprehended from his murmured speech.

“Yea, couldn’t find any weapons around so drastic times call for drastic measures, wrong choice, I know, slap me when we're done here.” He dismisses it with a wave of his hand, “now, let’s suppose that this is what really this power I have is all about, doesn’t that make it mine for now. No. Scratch that. Doesn’t that make my blood very special blood?”

“Haven’t we been telling you that all along?” Robin shakes her head on a fond smile.

He’s grateful, but this isn’t what he’s supposed to be feeling right now, a spell he’s casted is waiting to be activated, so at last, he comes to a solution.

“I need something sharp.” He tells them.

“Sure, here.” Keimi hands him her metal nail file, unaware of his plan.

He splays the book on the ground and quickly makes a cut over his sweaty palm. He hears the girls gasping in shock and rebuking him for being both stupid and reckless. He agrees with the latter, but stupid? He guesses waiting for Zoro to finish her off and save the day would have been even more stupid. The tattoo around his forearm aches and he winces more, then it reshapes and forms wavy lines rounding his wrist, and they watch the display in astonishment. But then only one drop of blood spills from that cut and falls onto the same page of that book.

That single drop of blood burns into the page and a sudden flow of light gushes out from the book and from Sanji’s chest as well, as if the two are deeply connected. The girls squirming beside him fall to the back with the force of the flash as Sanji opens his arms and puffs out his chest that is now glowing blindingly, blows of wind dance around him and speed up, sounding like a grinding whetstone.

Everything falls to a pause as they all hide their faces behind their forearms at the light and the strong wind, which, apparently, Sanji is the one causing. After what feels like short windy seconds, the light finally stops glowing gradually and so does the wind after making sure it swung Sanji fringes like an oscillating pendulum. He slumps onto the book, breathing deeply in ragged gasps.

“What the hell was that?” Luffy wonders aloud, his brows furrowed.

“Did he just cast a spell?” Frank asks, lips parting and closing like a dumbfounded fish.

“Was that really magic?” Usopp questions, his wide eyes examining Sanji and switching to look at his pack mates.

Another interval, everyone –including Zoro– eyes Sanji after the vivid demonstration. But then a sudden yelp surprises them, confused eyes look at Rona and finally see her clutching at her chest, “You didn’t!” she cries after looking at her hands that come away smeared in her own blood.

“Ha!” Sanji chuckles, his chuckle becoming more deep and at last he bursts out laughing, “It worked, it really worked!”

The rest is yet to catch on.

“So that’s what that spell was for!” Rona exclaims, grimacing at the painful gash on her chest. “You repelled my attack,” she groans and flops to the ground on her knees, “you despicable mortal!”

Sanji rises up to his feet, all the gashes and wounds that were covering him are gone now. He’s a brand new he. He walks closer to her and only stops when he’s a couple of inches away.

“Okay, one” Sanji raises his index, “I’m not despicable because I just wanted to get back at you since it was _our_ fight when we started, didn’t plan to gang up against you” –he raises his middle finger now– “two, in case you haven’t noticed, you’re no longer his fiancée, and three” –he raises his ring finger– “this _mortal_ just put a stop to you for jacking around and he did it so skillfully that you’ve got your own claw marks on you.” He crouches down, meeting her red eyes head-on, “since the fight is already over” –he puts down his index finger– “and the spell has already worked too” –he puts down his ring finger– “let me tell you this, I might be just a mortal" –the only finger he has raised is his middle finger and he nears it to her face– “the simple fact still remains, _I_ am Zoro’s mate.” He gives her a shit-eating grin.

He hears the girls behind giggling, and some laughing, and his lips do a cute twitch; he also wants to laugh because the face Rona is giving him is priceless.

“I won’t forgive you!” she promises, she’s actually threatening him but he’s a little too slow to notice. “I won’t easily forget it. I’m telling everyone what you really are!”

“Why don’t you go treat that wound, it looks pretty ugly.” Usopp advises, but more so just to get rid of her.

“An alpha getting wounded by her own claws, it looks like the player got played” Frank comments, solemnly.

She makes a _tsk_ ing noise and picks her wounded body up, deciding to finally leave.

Sanji then stops her, “Ms. Rona.”

She stops in her track but doesn’t turn around, “what do you want, witch?”

“I’m not trying to lord it over you but let me say just one thing, things like family titles and wealth, all that luxurious life cannot bring you happiness,” yes it can. “Not saying it out of personal experience but I know someone who did, and I know that breaking off the engagement was sudden for you and I’m sorry this happened, but I can’t walk away now. I find my happiness with them, I can’t give that up. I can’t give _him_ up. So if you still insist on maxing out and stalking me only to attack me later when no one is around, then I promise I won’t back down. I’ll stand up to you again, except next time I’ll be stronger.” He promises, his eyes determined.

She doesn’t say anything in return, and very quickly, she walks away, retreating from the battle. He lets out a deep sigh of relief; at least she didn’t turn around to slap him before she went away. Zoro then walks past him in a firm pace.

“Woah,” Sanji hold his arm by the elbow, “where do you think you’re going, tough guy?”

“After her” Zoro says between gritted teeth, like Rona has just rung his door bell and ran for it.

“No, you’re not.” Sanji shakes his head and rests a hand over the other’s shoulder, “the fight is over, Zoro, and she’s already gone.”

“Look here,” Zoro furrows his brows and flares his nose, “The fight is not over until I say so–”

“Zoro!” he says over him, a cordial smile slowly blooming over his lips, “it’s over, give it a rest, man.”

For a moment, the two just keep looking into each other’s eyes, and he sees the man slowly demurring to do as asked.

“Sanji!”

Said male turns around and he arches his brows at how proud all of them are looking at him.

“You never seize to amaze.” Nami tells him after she crosses her arms over her chest.

“You were so cool, Sanji!” Keimi gets closer to him only to wrap her arms around his.

“We better hurry home and take a look at your wounds.” Robin suggests, on cue.

“No need,” he tells her, “they already healed, and I repelled the last wound so I’m fine, for now.”

“So that was really magic,” Usopp stares at him, face set in hard lines. “Are you really a witch?”

Sanji’s eyes flit down briefly, before glancing up at Zoro.

“It’s a moot question, but why do I have a feeling that Rona is going to put you on blast and tell everyone that you’re a witch?” Frank is making oscillating motions with his hand, his eyes looking into Sanji’s, worriedly.

Suddenly, Sanji doesn’t want anything but to eye the sky which is slowly turning a deep crimson; he feels a fire slowly rising within him as he absentmindedly and lazily drums his fingers over his thighs, the fire slowly turning into a burning tornado and yet he isn’t daunted by it. He can smell the earth, the water and the air, it tingles, this unearthly feeling is tingling under his chest and he’s slowly feeling pleasantly warm.

“...home, and then we’ll talk.” Luffy tells them in monotone, probably too shocked to say anything else.

“Let’s leave here too.” Robin looks up into Sanji’s eyes, “come on.”

“I can’t leave without my book.” He says, adamantly, “That book saved my life, Robin.” he tells her after she gives him a look.

“Alright, I’ll go bring it.”

Of course, he isn’t going to let her spoil him more so he too walks up to the edge of the cliff, looking where he’d left the book earlier, but alas, he only comes across the empty tote bag. She doesn’t find it anywhere either. The rest of the female betas look around, to help, but nobody finds the book.

“It might have fallen off the cliff.” Nami theorizes, staring wide-eyed down the cliff.

“No, it was here.” Sanji shakes his head, childishly, “I’m sure of it, I left it here.”

“Maybe it was the wind that–” Keimi is trying to give him her portion of theories but Sanji interjects, “I left it _here!_ ” he points at the same spot he’s been sitting on.

He sees how the girls frown, darting their eyes away.

“Let’s go home for now,” he smiles tentatively at them, it’s because he doesn’t want to leave yet until he finds the book, but he’s not a heartless man, especially after looking at their pouting faces. “I’ll cook something delicious for you.”

And just like that, the happy squeaks are back.

Nobody interrupts the silence throughout the walk to the house, preferring to keep their heads on their necks because having Zoro in that kind of mood never served anyone any good. And they’re a smart bunch, they’ve learnt their lesson.

 

Sanji tries to keep his promise to cook delicious food but Zoro has no interest in learning how the food-consuming mechanisms process as he clutches at his wrist, grinds him into a sudden halt. “Sit down.”

Said male eyes the couch, and in his swivel, his hand slips from Zoro’s.

“Tell us what happened.”

Sanji rolls his eyes, “what’s the point, what’s done is done and Rona was defeated, full stop.”

“I said,” Zoro repeats, a hint of grudging threat in his tone, “sit down and tell us what happened.”

Sanji eventually gives in to Zoro’s wicked eyes that speak volumes of how scary he can be when he’s wanting/not attempting to be. He eyes the pack for a moment before walking to that couch to sit down, “and I don’t even get paid for the crap I have to go through, my life sucks.”

“We also would like to know what happened, if you don’t mind, Sanji.” Nami requests of him, showing him yet again how smart she really is because even gnashing your teeth, you just can’t turn down a polite request like that.

 

“…and I was getting my ass kicked I had to do something, so” –he points at the back of the sofa with his thump hooked over his shoulder– “I drew the pentagram with my blood and used a random spell from the book, which, by the way, I can’t find _anywhere_.”

The pack can’t bring themselves to believe any of it, but they’ve come to know him for a while now and if there’s anything they’ve learned about humans like him, it’s that they’re stupid beyond any creatures’ mind capacity and the possibility of them doing something stupid like ‘drawing a pentagram with their own blood’ is actually pretty high. So they absentmindedly look behind the couch and can see that the bloody pentagram is really there.

“So let me get this right, you used a spell, when you already have no former experience in this field whatsoever, and it worked?” Frank exclaims, a look of astonishment takes over his face.

“Well, it’s not like you can take up sorcery classes from third grade.” Sanji deflates in on himself. “I had to do something,” he flails a hand, “I couldn’t just let her do me in like that.”

“Continue.” Zoro demands, a final order.

“I managed to knock her down with a fire bolt, and then I picked up my bike and was planning to go downtown to get help but she was fast and she tossed me in the air like a booger. I think I broke some ribs then but they completely healed now. That’s when I casted the second spell and I was whisked away to the cliff once I walked through the portal–”

“A portal!” Luffy gasps, promptly “I’m no expert but Sanji” he gives him a vague look, “only professional sorcerers can cast that kind of powerful spells. I heard it usually takes years for sorcerers and witches to completely master the spell, but because it has terrible side effects, only authorized magic-users can use it.”

“Two of the spells you used require something of equal value, sort of a trade kind of deal.” Frank explains, “Some spells are like that, they won’t be activated until you give something in return. They must have worked because you gave your blood in return which lately we've come to understand is very special, the _hard_ way. And yet some spells even have terrible side effects, like the time leap which happened this morning.”

“So she was telling the truth?” Sanji wonders, addressing himself, “she did say there was a time leap and the spell I casted was the reason.”

“She was telling you the truth then.” Nami tilts her head while shrugging.

“So what about what she said about werewolves and witches, was that the truth, too?” He amends, peeking at her with expectant eyes.

Nami is no longer the stuck-up she claims to be as she darts her eyes away, not so brave to answer his question.

“Yes.” Zoro deadpans, “it was the truth.”

Sanji’s eyes flutter, but he clears his throat and looks his mate in the eyes, “she also said that the elders, or whatever, are going to exile you, what the hell does that mean?”

“To werewolves, witches are despicable creatures, and so are werewolves to witches.” He tells him, fingers twining together between his parted knees, “an accident happened in the very old past and ever since then, werewolves were banned from mating with witches; however, there’s always a rebel who’d go against the rules, and in this case, there was this werewolf who used to belong to this pack, but he decided to mark a witch. Our elders found out and he was immediately banned and exiled.”

Sanji swallows, terror taking hold of his features, “what happened to his mate?”

“Died, burned to death.” Zoro says, crossly.

Sanji might be an idiot, but he doesn’t fail to see it. He doesn’t fail to see the tears held captive inside Zoro’s eyes. Right now, he wants to ask a lot of things, is he also going to get burned to death? Is it okay if he keeps on using magic? What is he supposed to do if the elders ever found out? And, just for academic research, do those elders have fangs and claws, too?

He has so many questions inside his head which he needs answers to, but he selflessly throws them behind his head and asks the one thing that might very much answer the biggest query he has right now, “What happened in the past?” he fidgets over the couch, “was that werewolf Mr. Dracule?” he asks this without lifting his head, as though fearing what might follow.

“Go clean up.” Zoro says dismissively, “girls, take care of the food, Usopp and Luffy, I want you two to fix my house. Frank, come with me.”

The pack members share an affirmative with their Alpha, the latter walks towards the front door, expecting Frank to follow suit but it’s Sanji’s hand on his shoulder that he doesn’t expect, “Zoro” he starts, his voice low and gentle, “you are doing it again, you’re hiding things from me again.” He tells him, despair wants to be his sole friend now, “are you going to brush it off and tell me to mind my own damn business. I know about Mia, I know about the photo you keep in your drawer, I know–”

Zoro suddenly turns and holds Sanji by the shoulders, firmly, “you going through my stuff now?” he exclaims, a wave of red spiraling inside his eyes.

Sanji snorts, a smile on his small lips. “Now that's classic werewolf temper right there –”

“Are you?!” Zoro snarls, chasing any traces of the smile from Sanji’s lips.

“N-no…” Sanji’s brows furrow and arch upward, heart thumping with dear, “I saw it when you told me to look for the key.”

Zoro’s grip on his shoulders finally loosens; said male looks around at his pack’s worried faces, and then at Sanji’s scared eyes, “I’m…” he starts, and then he wraps his arm around his mate’s head to talk into his ear away from prying eyes, “wait until I get back, don’t go to sleep.” He says laconically, and unwraps his arm. “Frank, let’s go.”

And just like that, Zoro walks out of the front door and leaves only the echo of the door creaking behind.

 

Sanji cleans himself, not because Zoro told him to, but because he’s started feeling disgusted covered in dry blood and dirt like that, there’s even a dry leaf in his hair. He walks down the stairs and he finds food on the table, even the book shelves were repaired and back anew.

He plops on the couch and looks at the food with empty eyes.

“Don’t let it get to you.” Keimi beams. “Eat.”

Sanji physically shakes the negative emotions and plasters on a reassuring smile which somehow feels half fake.

“Whether he tells you something or nothing at all, you can only trust him.” Surprisingly, it’s Usopp trying to comfort him.

“Don’t get impatient.” Nami smiles, briefly that is, “you’re part of the pack now, and you’ll eventually know everything.”

 

He’s already had dinner, he can’t say he had a great appetite but he did eat.  He’s in the bathroom, brushing his teeth and looking at his miserable reflection on the mirror. The pack is staying over tonight as well, so he feels safe. Suddenly, he hears buzzing, “my phone…”

 

He finds one unread text sent by Zoro, and three missed called from same number starting with a + which suggest he’s never seen it before, it’s different from Mia’s as well, and if he had to contemplate it, he’d easily put the lid on it since he can count his registered contacts on one hand. This doesn’t add up. Anyways, he can play this ‘Detective Conan’ revue later, he should read the text message that is from the only man he’s not certain whether he wants to see or not right now, and wow, if condescendence had a face:

[I’m waiting by the car.]

Sanji rolls his eyes, he’s totally being toyed and Zoro needs a reality check. Resignedly, he shoves the phone into his sweatpants’ pocket and walks outside, his eyes surreptitiously looking around until he spots Zoro leaning on his fancy car.

“What now?” he demands, nearing the car.

Opening the door to his seat, Zoro orders “Get in.”

“Where’s Frank?”

“Patrolling.” He answers, curtly, and gets into the car.

“Zoro, you’re not being fair.” Sanji pouts, but he eventually gets in after realizing that the man isn’t in any mood to spoil anyone.

The car starts moving, the tires smoothly rolling and grinding the dead leaves speckled on the ground.

 

Five minutes, ten minutes now and Sanji can’t avoid this suffocating silence just by looking out the window at the woods staring intensely back at him; he wants to talk to Zoro, God damn, he wants to hear Zoro’s deep voice and look him right in the eyes, and simply enjoy the stealthy looks they share time and again.

“I didn’t even show up at work, if I ever get fired it's going to be all on you.” He starts, but eventually blows a sigh. “Zoro, where are you taking me?”

“The butler, who works for my family, called when I was out, said mother was already on her way to town.” Zoro reported, now turning the steering wheel to pivot the car into a small clearing. “She’s probably going to be here in the early morning.”

“Does she already know about me?” Sanji demands, “that’s why she’s coming, right? Am I going to get burned to death?”

Zoro turns off the ignition and the car stills. He looks down somewhere over his lap, a smirk pulling at his lips, “Sanji,” he looks up now into his mate’s eyes, “mother is only coming to comprehend my reasons behind breaking off the engagement.” He assures, “you’re my mate and I don’t have to follow someone else’s order if I have you, but we have to bond, if I want my family to stop pestering me about marriage, we’ll have to bond, tonight.”

“What if she’s against witches?”

“I don’t care about what she thinks of my mate, I don’t even care about some old-fashioned wolf telling me how to live my life, if they’re against witches then that doesn’t make it my problem. I chose you, and you chose me, do you see any reason for us _not_ to bond?”

Zoro’s eyes are playful but at the same time seductive, it’s unfair.

Sanji shies, and faces away.

Zoro ushers with his head, “Come on.”

 

The two are walking through a tree-sided walkway. Sanji hears the purl of a near river; he hears the trees rustling and the antenna of insects after being disturbed; buzzing, almost as if they’re welcoming him to this side of the woods he's never been to.

“My family’s residence is nestled just at the foot of that mountain,” he points at somewhere beyond the trees, “when they finally moved out, I remodeled it and turned it into an inn.”

“You mean it’s the same inn near the preserve? But I heard it closed down due to financial issues.”

“Yes, the preserve is just a few acres away?” Zoro pushes some branches off of his path, “and no, not financial, but the visitors caused my workers a lot of problems so I decided to close it down and now I keep it for personal use only.”

“I think you caused your workers even more problems by closing down the inn,” Sanji provides, gallantly. “That was probably their only source of income.”

Zoro stops in his track and faces his mate, “I actually sent them to work at the inn we own in the other town.”

“Oh, the other inn, of course.” He hums, “Frigging rich people.”

Zoro chuckles, “we’re here,” he looks ahead, and that’s when Sanji’s jaw almost drops. “I'll be damned!” He gasps after eying the French country house, evoking a rustic appearance with hipped roofs, and rugged dormers; the rough plaster walls and the gorgeous pallet wood walkways surrounding its floor; it’s as if it just came out of a painting. No wonder guests caused troubles about this; he’d fight tooth and nail to get a room here if he had money. Even jab an old lady in the pelvis.

“Let’s get inside,” Zoro offers, already walking up to the arched front door.

Sanji follows almost instantly.

Once again, he’s amazed by the interior of the house; he faces the rounded entryway and the barrel vault of the ceiling from which a beautifully crafted chandelier is dangling to shine on the porcelain tile flooring.

“You can take off your shoes and wear these,” he hands Sanji a pair of brown slippers he’s taken out from the shoe rack. “They’re called pantoufles in French.” He sneers.

“Thank you for this very important information, I shall mark it down for later use if I ever needed to save the world.” He scoffs, pressing his lips teasingly.

They walk through an arched doorway, and get greeted by a marble staircase.

“Go upstairs, wait in the first room on your right.” Zoro says offhandedly, steering away with his hands working on undoing his belt buckle.

“Woah!” Sanji rushes after the man, “where’re you’re going and leaving me?” He is not getting left here on his own.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m still shirtless” –Oh trust him, Sanji has noticed– “and covered in blood and dirt, I need to clean myself up.” Without even listening to what Sanji has to say about an Alpha soaking in the bathtub, Zoro bounds up the staircase in the middle of the spacious hall and disappears once he walks into another arched doorway upstairs.

“I can’t believe it, I’m already getting used to this.” Sanji drags himself up the stairs with drooped shoulders, he finally reaches the said room and opens its door, hearing it whiz in greeting.

What little light that manages to stream in from the windows helps his eyes adapt to the room’s illumination, he makes out the glittering chandelier suspended from the ceiling, and the large size set of bedding with an emperor headboard, a modern dressing table with three round mirrors, the shaggy, fluffy carpet under his feet that feels really comfortable to roll on, and some old, garish colored painting of an urban town which looks like it’s taken years to finish; But all his impression hits the stone wall when he realizes that the furniture is in black and white. “What is he, a yin yang fanatic?”

He walks up to the hinged doors beside the bed that lead to a balcony, he walks out and he sees that the balcony overlooks a beautiful patio, shaded in green and has an empty pool and a dry fountain. He looks up at the sky and gets greeted by uncountable stars, he decides then waiting is tolerable because he gets to relax and get his thoughts back together.

 

 “You’re still up?”

Sanji reels around from his perch by the hinged door, he’s decided to walk in after some time and been trying to lock the handle when Zoro finally walked in; he scrutinizes said man’s wet locks, the towel wrapped around his waist but making no effort to hide the rest of his naked body. The muscles built in so taut like a fucking warrior. He’s so firm without Sanji having to feel him to tell for himself. The wet strands of his dark hair parachuting over deep set eyes and thick, symmetrical brows. Lush lips parted slightly. He is, without a doubt, a walking wet dream…

Sanji is overcome by all the feelings he harbors for the man, and for a second, his lungs can’t chase after air and he realizes he’s holding his breath. He quickly faces the door giving him attitude so he wouldn’t have to see more of Zoro’s seduction weaving tricks on his unsexed body.

“You told me to wait.”

And that’s when it happens. That so out of the blue, a distant voice in Sanji’s head says _we’ll have to bond, tonight,_ and something in him just… melts.

He hears the light tramps on the plank behind him, an overwhelming closeness approaching his. He stills completely and so does everything else.

Zoro walks up to his back, moves closer to nudge his nose against the stiff shoulder and feels a shiver come to pass. Sanji clenches his grip on the handle, seeking an anchor before he gets introduced to the floor face-first. He lets out a soft moan that stirs Zoro into more action. The latter trails the tip of his nose along the inviting neck –tilting to leave him space, and he parts his lips, mouthing the hot skin still shuddering under his ministration.

“Turn around.” Zoro orders once his parted lips take hold of Sanji’s earlobe.

Sanji lets out contented sighs and he is inwardly pleased that he doesn’t have to suppress his voice since nobody is keeping vigil in one mile radius. He feels his body getting maneuvered so that he is facing his mate, and it’s not a matter of pride but it’s a little vexing since he’s at the perfect height where he has to glance up to meet Zoro’s smoldering gaze –aflame with hunger. Like Zoro can eat him up with just his eyes, it’s fucking glorifying –being the center of Zoro’s attention… being wanted and desired.

Sanji throws himself at his mate, and the skillful mouth is back on his, ravaging like a wolf that’s been confined and starved for _days._ And Sanji whines deep in his throat, arms wrapping around Zoro’s bare skin, touching and feeling, making sure this isn’t one of his masturbation sessions gone too real.

His nose catch a whiff of a fragrance, rich and earthly, permeating strongly as Zoro slowly leans forward. It gives him a faint prickle at the back of his nose.

Sanji’s eyes flutter shut.

Incited, Zoro grabs a fistful of Sanji’s hair from the back and yanks, pushing him back against the hinged door by the hip until he hits it hard enough to jar, and does Sanji give a fuck? –that hand in his hair pulls again and Sanji breaks the kiss with a gasp, throwing his head back. Zoro licks up the long column of pale skin, reveling in the scrape of growing stubble.

“Zoro…” he croaks, eyes narrowing with want.

“What?” Zoro relents, his breath ghosts over Sanji’s mouth.

Sanji struggles to fight past this delirious haze that has lodged over his lids. His pupils land on Zoro’s and something, something tingling, spirals deep inside his chest. Normally, men don’t stare into each other’s eyes and experience the sensation of _drowning_ … He has, though, several times, with Zoro.

 

He presses closer, bringing their dicks in line. And Zoro is quick to react, gripping at Sanji’s ass hard enough to bruise, touching too much as if he stopped, the man in his grip would flee like a rat. Sanji sucks in a surprised yelp when Zoro takes his lips in a heated kiss. His hands are slow and steady as they disentangle the towel, and he exults when it falls down. He feels the man’s thick cock spring up, marked by conspicuous veins and covered in precum.

In any other circumstance with any other recipient of his kiss, Sanji would have raised Hell and outright barked his disgust. But with Zoro, he _wants_ to touch; he feels like nothing in the world can make him as eager as Zoro’s eyes do to him. He wraps his hand around the shaft, earning an impatient hiss from the man still sucking on his lips.

“Fuck,” Zoro suddenly breathes out into his mouth, “wanted you for so long, Sanji…” he thrusts against the gentle pressure, lines marring his forehead.

“You can have me,” Sanji moans, breathlessly “all of me.” He drags his hand up, grip tight and slow, before sliding back down.

“Like that,” Zoro rasps, fervent and hungry, “just like fucking that!”

Sanji chunks his head to the back a little and drinks in the sight of Zoro –an Alpha werewolf that can intimidate a herd of them with just a brow arch– thrusting into his hand, face wracked with pleasure. A fucking Greek-God shaped bundle of beautiful and majestic fantasy that has ever made him breathless coming true, even getting off using his hand –the sight alone keeps little room in his head for nothing, and if it wasn’t for the scene before him, he’d be wallowing in a mental break-down for his sudden idiocy.

Not knowing how to ask Zoro to return the favor, Sanji humps against his own grip, brushing the heads of their cocks together. When the other man doesn’t decipher the hint, Sanji unfurls the waistband of his sweatpants with his other hand and plucks out his cock, he grips hold of Zoro’s hand that’s still plastered on his ass and drags it to his dick. Zoro applies a little more pressure than necessary and Sanji arches his back off the door, whimpering wantonly.

“Not so rough…”

Zoro’s hand immediately gentles.

Sweaty calluses sweep across the vein on his underside. A thumb torments the crown of his cock, rubbing across the slit. So rough again. And Sanji moans through it like a woman, attempting to mirror the skill but knowing, deep within, nothing really can compare.

“Fuck, yes.” Zoro groans, clenching his fist in Sanji’s hair again. “You feel so good, Sanji, lemme hear your voice.”

Sanji holds onto Zoro’s shoulder as this intensity builds up across his abdomen, hearing Zoro cuss, there’s no word for it but ‘sexy’ and he can’t even. “Gonna…” –he forces his eyes shut and curls his fingers on the man’s skin, scratching in the process– “Cumming… _shit_... Zoro!”

“Don’t stop your hand.” Zoro mutters into his ear, now gnawing at the earlobe.

At that, Sanji sends his sperm gushing out, thick and abundant, but soon he even feels Zoro ejaculating in his hand, hot cum rendering him speechless.

 “I want you…” He suddenly keens into the hollow of Zoro’s neck, like the wait is causing him physical anguish. “I need you with me, inside me, Zoro.”

Zoro returns his gaze to Sanji’s, and they're staring at each other, a moment of stillness in the midst of the frantic.

“You look pretty done in, and I haven’t gone all the way with you yet.”

“Maybe you should.”

The stillness ends and, once more, it's frantic groans and hands and moans.

 

“Take me to bed” –Sanji manages to squeak through the urgent kiss– “hurry, Zoro.”

“Sanji, when we bond, a knot is going to happen, are you really okay with that” Zoro asks, his lips ghosting over Sanji’s.

“We’re not only bonding, you‘re making love to me.” Sanji says, his hand caressing Zoro’s cheek, “I don’t care what happens from now on, I can finally be your mate without having to worry about anyone anymore.” He adds, a blush glowing over his cheeks, “touch me, mess me up, Zoro” he pleads, hugging his mate tightly, “make me yours.”

 

After a grueling wait of wondering just when is Zoro going to be done preparing him –even after the pleasurable blowjob he’s given him, Zoro finally lines his cock along Sanji’s puckered entrance, both his arms bracing at either side of Sanji’s head. He pushes in very slowly, enjoying how Sanji clenches around him. Th tight heat and Sanji’s pornographic cries almost sending him over the verge. When he bottoms out, Sanji opens his legs more for a better penetration.

“It’s half-way in.” Zoro eyes his mate for any signs of discomfort beside the scrunched-up face and the clenched fists on the bed sheet, “you okay?”

Sanji damps his lips and nods fervently, “come on…” He rolls his hips to cause friction, “move.”

 

Sanji can feel the heat searing his skin with a little sting, threatening to ravish what’s left of his sanity, so he cries, voicing his pleasure because this new found feeling is pretty fulfilling.

 

The groan in the back of Zoro’s throat turns into a low snarl.

Alerted, Sanji’s eyes snap open and he sees Zoro’s face turning. And as the change gets clearer, even the speed of his hips thrusting against Sanji’s picks up.

“Fuck, Zoro, you’re gonna break me…!” he manages, barely able to gasp a word, “Oh God! Zoro!”

Zoro lets out a loud growl, and that’s when Sanji sees no other way but to wiggle away from Zoro, from the pleasure making a total moaning mess of him, and from the bond.

“Don’t run off” Zoro croaks in his deeper-than-usual voice, “I’m not losing control over myself, don’t be afraid.”

Sanji pants, because the werewolf now is still fucking into him.

He finally slows down, and falls to a slow pace.

**“Thou hast the bond,**

**Deny thy seed, or grant thine soul,**

**What thy will is?”**

Sanji wraps his arms around Zoro’s neck again for support, kissing his forehead, the eyelids of his red eyes, and then his lips that have two apparent fangs sprouting out at each of the corner. “I’m yours!” he cries out, “you belong to me, Zoro, and I to you, so give me the bite, and this time, make sure it doesn’t get healed.”

Zoro lets out a vibrating roar, his fangs jutting and his eyes narrowing complacently, Sanji can’t take his eyes away from his mate. He peeks at the sweat glowing over his chest, his arms braced over the bed, and the beautiful curves of his abdomen.

“ **Be but sworn my love**.” Zoro mutters, and uses his own mouth to tilt Sanji’s jaw a little higher.

Sanji’s heart beats so fast he is amazed it isn’t sprinting right out of his chest, he feels Zoro’s thrusts slowly picking up pace again, he moans his approval, struggling not to fall onto the pillows because he can see Zoro showing his fangs and closing in the distance between him and Sanji’s neck. He finally meets the skin and slowly sinks his teeth into it, sharp tips piercing the skin until blood spills down.

The small curve of Sanji’s back arches on the bed like a freaking canal as he whimpers at the stabbing pain and the unbelievable pleasure.

The taste of Sanji’s blood inside his mouth is … heavenly; the rush and the pleasure, fusing together like a volcano erupting, it dizzies him along with his wolf who relives in the sensation, alive for even better than the promised climax itself.  He groans into the hollow of Sanji’s throat, his teeth going deeper, but still careful not to end up breaking his mate’s neck in two.

Sanji, on the other hand, is crying out both in pain and pleasure, this is the best he’s felt in his entire life, the bite does not only sting with pain, but it’s making him more and more aroused, tickling the sensual parts of his body, urging him to let go of his human side and just lose himself into pleasure, which he does. He responds by shouting it out, to hell on the world on waiting, werewolves’ rules can go down the drain for all he cares, he’s with his mate, who’s just given him the bite while bonding, and who’s making his mind and heart melt with uncontainable sensations.

 

 

 

Zoro is soon not only planting his fangs, but his seed as well, forcing himself in deep, so deep; he slowly turns into his graceful human shape and he slumps forward over Sanji, heat rolling off him in waves, panting heavily and not even sure if it’s him or his mate whose chest is rising; maybe theirs both.

Sanji feels a sudden swell, stretching his hole from the inside. He winces but keeps the complaint to himself in order to ride out the afterglow, undisturbed.

That felt fucking amazing.

 

“Take it out.” Sanji croaks out –for no other reason than the fact his rim can feel the thick swell still stretching him. “My voice,” He rubs his throat, “it's hoarse.”

Zoro shifts just a little of his body on the bed but his arm remains draped on his mate’s chest, “it’s because you were so loud.”

Sanji swipes at his head lazily, too drained to actually move, he supposes wild sex does that to you. “And why are you not taking it out?”

“I knotted, sorry, I can’t take it out.” He says, nibbling at Sanji’s ear.

“What!” exclaims Sanji, “that’s” –he grunts– “I swear, my life is so weird.”

“It’s only gonna take a few hours, I asked and you said you were okay with it, look we can just–” he cuts himself off when he listens in to Sanji’s heartbeats, “already fallen asleep.” Zoro props up on his elbow, eying his mate, sexed out and beautiful. He nuzzles his hair, his neck, the bite mark he’s just given him, breathing in his scent mingled with his own, and a dopy smile crosses his small lips.

 


	17. Chapter 17

 

 

The cadence of birds in the balcony chirping like they’re being choked to death breaks Sanji’s sleep.  He parts is eyelids and sparkly pupils catch the light gushing in from the balcony’s slightly ajar hinged door, mirroring _life_. He tries to wriggle from under the heavy arm sprawled across his middle but abruptly halts all motions, face growing hot. To attest his theory, he rotates his hips but the caused friction forces a gasp from his lungs.

“It won’t go down.” Zoro speaks with his mouth on Sanji’s hair.

“What’ you mean it won’t go down? No offence, dude, but I ain’t keeping that thing in me for the rest of the day.” Sanji’s voice is still scratchy from overuse.

“I’m gonna try to unload, but it’s not going to be pretty.”

“I’m sure I can take it,” Sanji huffs, “anything but a swollen cock, man, it’s tearing me open and reshaping my ass.” Sanji squirms beneath his mate; hands grasping at the quilt of the bed, making it rustle in the process as Zoro mounts his back, only hovering at first and the slightest of movements cause even more friction. “Zoro, I’m not joking.” He cranes his neck to dislodge him but Zoro is built with a lot of muscles, if he doesn’t want to get off, he won’t, and Sanji can’t do anything about it. “Take it out.”

Zoro is silent, oh God too silent.

Sanji’s shuffling comes to ease gradually, trying to get a mental hold of what scheme has the man’s brain wheeling this time when, suddenly, Zoro presses down on him. Sanji sucks in a surprised gasp, his entire face flames red in response, a reaction he never even thought he’d make.

“Zoro…”

He bristles at the fact that said man isn’t even listening as he grinds his groin against Sanji’s ass, pushing the swell in deeper. Hot breath fans on his cheek when Zoro lowers his lips to the side of Sanji’s neck with the bite mark. And without even meaning to, Sanji bucks up, instantly feeling the slight shift of the swell.

His stomach churns, not at the revelation, but at the fact that he should be horrified but he isn’t. The swelling growing in volume should rattle his cores, should send him reeling with a look of reproach, but it isn’t.

Zoro rubs his cock deeper and Sanji wants to moan, the friction inside doing things to him, amazing things, god damn, Sanji wants to moan but he bites his bottom lip instead.

“Sanji”

The breathy whisper against his ear sends a shiver down his body, Zoro’s never gruffly spoken his name into his ears the way he just did, the breath brushes and it’s enough to set the moan free.

As though enticed by the moan, Zoro fists Sanji’s hair and pulls, forcing it to the side so that he has a nice view of the bite marks he carved. Sanji mewls at the rough treatment, fingers clutching at the quilt under him. And then hot cum shoots inside his belly, the knot twitches again, sending more cum which reaches his p gland, coating it with hot sperm, causing a full-bodied shiver.

“Z…” Sanji whimpers hotly, pupils sinking under his lids and lips parting open, “fuck, Zoro…”

So much, Zoro is cumming so fucking much like a hose Sanji isn’t sure how he is still sane unlike his own cock that is flagging up for intimate attention.

Zoro only nibbles at the marks, admiring his handiwork.

Sanji throws a hand to Zoro’s head, fingers seizing strands of short mane and tugging in response. “Fuck…” he thrusts his ass into Zoro’s cock and Zoro grinds against it. “Give it to me…” he finds himself pleading, “All of it.”

Zoro grunts and shoots more cum into his mate, loving the reaction it earns him.

Sanji feels the knot slowly dwindling size-wise, replaced by an over-washing feeling of absolute ecstasy, and it doesn’t take long before he’s also shooting his cum to the sheet underneath.

 

 

Zoro walks down the marble stairs with bare feet, scratching his nape lazily. He finally opens the door to whoever decided to interrupt his climax, and catches sight of something but quickly closes the door. He rubs his eyes, maybe he’s a little sleepy –or too much sex muddling his sight but he did not just see that! He yanks the door open again just to make sure, and it’s still there: a three feet tall, fur-coated, antlered brown deer with a face almost like a human’s but with groggy, yellow eyes, obviously _standing_ on two hooves, holding a scythe that is twice its size.

“I’ve been watching you for a while now, and after you claimed Sanji, I, Tony Chopper, have come to give you the punishment you deserve, Ronoa Zoro.” It says, doggedly.

A deer just talked.

Let him get this straight, a deer, the little thing that hops a lot and gets caught in the headlights a lot, just talked.

“ _What_?” Zoro manages after a worrisome pause.

A loud thump in the ceiling interrupts their bizarre talk, and Zoro quickly shuts the door on that deer’s snout and bounds up the stairs with an amused smirk. When he opens the door to his bedroom, he finds Sanji, dressed in a pair of black boxers only, working on righting the lamp over the nightstand.

“What is it?” Zoro asks, aiming the bed in a leisurely manner.

Sanji’s shoulders do a little twitch and he turns around looking dejected, “Sorry,” he says, sheepishly, “when I came back from the bathroom and looked at the clock I just panicked, I tried to wear my clothes and be quick but I didn’t see it–”

Zoro slumps against the bedspread and pulls Sanji with him, “where ‘you think you’re going?”

Sanji falls over the sheets beside him with a low grunt, “I have to go to work, I didn’t show up at all yesterday, not to mention that’s coming off my paycheck.”

Zoro takes a deep breath, inadvertently sniffing along Sanji’s neck, his own scent etched in Sanji like stone. “You’re not going anywhere,” he almost moans it, deep, sexy voice turning Sanji’s worlds upside down. “You’re staying here today, with _me_. I even pain-drained you so your back won’t hurt when you woke up.”

“Wait, you what?”

“It’s a little trick werewolves do to remove pain from the body system, that’s why you don’t feel any pain even though I knotted inside you for the whole night.” He says, “Felt amazing, being able to knot you for the entire night.” Zoro explains with a straight face, and Sanji wants to smack with a flipper because nobody should say embarrassing things with a serious face like that.

“Thank you but no thank you.” He says instead, straightening up to leave the bed, “I need to work. I can’t just cuddle all day.”

Zoro sits up, ruffling his own hair.

“Not calling it a pejorative idea, but I think I’ll better spend the night at my house. I haven’t been there for a while and someone has to do the cleaning.” He informs, now working on putting on the last of his garments, “you can come over if you want.”

“I think you should stay here tonight.” Zoro suggests while giving his mate a dim smile.

“At least look more excited about it.” Sanji huffs, no malice in his tone; though if Zoro wants him to stay over he should do more than that. “I’m probably doing the humanity a huge favor by bonding with you” –He shakes his heads dramatically before he opens the door– “call me if you change your mind.”

He walks out with his brows scrunched together, brooding over God knows what when he suddenly halts in his tracks and reels towards the door he’s just evicted. He bites his bottom lip meditatively, obviously contemplating something with the disclaimer of adult content’ on the bed in a very compromising position. He knows the way he’s handled this morning after a very intimate time with his mate the night _and_ the knotting thing is way childish and cold, even for him, but Sanji usually smoothes over the water when he can’t deal with the situation or when he thinks it’d be too troublesome to do it. He for sure is not oblivious, okay maybe he is, in most cases, but he is not a narcissistic expert who would cut people to the bone and then act like nothing has happened, it is unthinkable when people do that by the way; however, Sanji is not the sharing type of person, talking about intimate details is a no-no to him, even remembering is mind-boggling, somehow, shameful even, but all the way amazing and overwhelming. That’s why his eyes can’t meet Zoro’s and the excuse of having work to do was a perfected subterfuge to flee the wolf’s den.

 

Zoro puts on his pair of boxers, walks into the bathroom to brush his teeth, “should I count?” he wonders, aloud; he can hear Sanji’s footsteps the moment he left the room.  He’s descending the stairs, now walking towards the arched doors. He’s taking his shoes from the shoe closet, putting them on, and at last, he opens the front door and quickly slams it shut. He’s scurrying back through the arched entryway again, and up the stairs and– “Now.”

Sanji opens the door to the bedroom and leans on it after the lock clicks.

Zoro rinses his mouth and walks out, eying his confused and startled mate and, werewolf powers or not, he knows Sanji’s about to have a heart attack.

“There’s something outside!” he hollers, vehemently.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” Zoro grins, the whole sight is amusing.

“I think your house is being infested with huge bunnies!” Sanji gushes, “There’s a freaking rabbit at your front door and it’s ridiculously cute too!”

“I know, and it’s a deer –wait, _what?”_ Zoro’s eyes bug out, “cute? How in the world is that ugly hoofed monster cute?”

“I can hear you, you know. And I’m a reindeer.” An unfamiliar voice is heard echo inside the room, the other two spin around themselves, inspecting the intruder, and that’s when Zoro hears his mate’s unusual but absurdly high pitched ‘kya!’ He faces his direction and sees a fluffy brown deer this time in the size of a panda cub standing at Sanji’s feet.

“Would you look at this?” Sanji crouches down, beaming brightly as if his eyes have caught on the broad daylight, “this cute little thing can actually talk?”

“Will you please stop calling it cute?” Zoro begs, sounding weary, “you’ll wet your pants if you see its real form.”

“Are we seriously not going to talk about the fact that it can _talk_?” Sanji looks up at the other, slowly starting to grin from ear to ear, “I mean you can change your form too, what’s the big deal?”

Zoro rolls his eyes and Sanji promptly thinks his habit of rolling his eyes is slowly rubbing off on his mate as well.

He looks at the deer now and quirks a broad smile, “My name’s San–”

“Sanji. I know who you are.” The deer says, laconically, “I assume your Alpha has yet to tell you of my glorious purpose.”

Sanji looks impressed and confused and all together excited, “you are so” –he starts, swallowing until his Adam’s apple juts– “so cute!” he readily tries to pounce the deer in a bone breaking hug but Zoro grabs him by the collar and pulls backwards, “What in the world ‘you think you’re doing? You don’t even know what he’s here for.”

“And you do?”

“As a matter of fact, I do, and I quote: ‘here to punish me’.” He tells him, “I saw the damn thing before you did, Sanji, he’s the one who knocked.”

Sanji perks up worriedly, he rises up to his feet to stand beside his mate, “Punish you, for what?”

“Ask him.” He grits out, grudgingly nodding his chin at their spectator.

The deer changes its form: black fur and groggy, yellow eyes. Sanji recoils slightly to the back. “I’ve been watching you for a while now, and after claiming Sanji, I, Tony Chopper–”

“You’ve come to give me the punishment I deserve, yes, I heard you the first time.” Zoro dismisses in an indifferent tone, “Now the explaining part.”

“Tony? Are you German?” Sanji asks but gets ignored by the two of them.

“I’ve been hired by a certain person to keep close watch on your actions. My orders were to make sure you keep on the family business away from any sort of distractions.” He crosses the floor with a thoughtful expression, whiskers twitching and Sanji has to bite on his nails not to jump the damn thing. “I’ve also come to understand that an alien being has infiltrated into your place.”

The other two are listening intently.

The deer brakes and turns to look at Sanji, “the alien being turned out to be a vessel at first, and then a witch, this is a great concern of mine, for no other reason but be it–”

“My mother hired you, didn’t she?” Zoro cuts him off, infuriation clear in his voice.

“Whether she did or not, that is a confidential matter.”

Zoro arches his brows lightly and turns around with a sigh, and Sanji looks at him with a pair of bewildered eyes. “I told her to stop poking her nose into my life.” He breathes out, picking up his cell phone, “This is taking it too far” –before he even types the digits of his mother’s number, the phone in his hand heats up and it turns into a ball of smoke soon after, and, with a hiss, Zoro lets go of the object– “What the hell!”

“Look here, Mr. Zoro.” The deer approaches said male, “grunted, I was hired by your mother, but I will not allow you to meddle with my assignment. My orders were to observe and judge, and I am willing to do just that, now” –he turns towards Sanji– “it may have escaped your notice but this young man here can manipulate magic, he can cast spells and he can even summon things.”

“So?”

“Only witches can do that, and by The Law of Werewolves, chapter sixty, page sixty three” –that’s a lot of motherfucking laws– “bonding with a witch is forbidden, violating this rule necessitates a trial, most likely, the court members will request an Alpha replacement.”

Sanji’s eyes tremble and he switches to look at Zoro, whose face is plastered into a frown as he speaks, “I’m a born Alpha, and I’m free to make my own decisions without having to worry if it freaks mother out. It might be merely a job to you, but this is my life, and I won’t allow a three-foot freak to tell me what I can and can’t do.” He says, “And if you can find a better Alpha than me, then feel free to replace me, although I can’t guarantee you’ll find one.”

The deer shoots him a glare and Zoro meets it head on, and this is when Sanji thinks he needs to interfere, “ _Okay_ , guys!” he lifts placating hands, “How about a nice morning meal? You want the usual coffee I make, right, Zoro?” he asks, and he quickly ignores the puzzled look on said male’s eyes as he faces the deer, “what about you, Mr. Bunny? Do you eat normal food or do you want me to fetch you some carrots?”

The deer fumes and his groggy, big eyes bug, his nostrils flaring, “This is absurd. I am no farm animal! I will not tolerate this maltreatment!” he seethes, “also, I’m a _reindeer_!”

Sanji scratches his head, it’s not like he scalded its tongue. “Touché!” he says, “Also, if what you’re saying is true, then I suggest you recheck your whole point of view.”

The other two knit their brows in response.

Sanji crosses his arms over his chest, “you say you’ve been keeping an eye on this place, and on _his_ actions, right?” he asks, gesturing at his mate, “and while we ignore the actual creepy part of it” –he mutters to himself but speaks on when Zoro snaps his attention back to them– “by doing exactly that, you should’ve been able to realize that Zoro here has been doing a great job, and if you haven’t noticed, he has a great pack; they follow his orders and they respect him and love him a lot, or is that insignificant to you?” he doesn’t wait for the other to answer, but he does saunter towards his mate, “he’s a capable man, he does his job seriously and he cares about the well being of his pack, and I don’t want his hard work to go to waste because you deem me troublesome, if anything, I want you to overlook the fact that nobody knows what I really am, that’s still under process since I’m a lot of things, trust me you don’t want that monkey on your shoulder, and I want you to look at the fact that I care about him and I would never attempt to hurt him or harm his pack.”

The smirk on Zoro’s lips is growing cocky as he leisurely hooks his arm around the small of Sanji’s back, and wordlessly pecks a kiss on his temple; the normalcy of this very small gesture is kind of refreshing Sanji thinks. He still needs to put some clothes on though, wandering around like freaking Tarzan.

 “Very well then,” The deer says, looking somehow apprehensive. “But I will not tolerate the way you address me–”

Zoro blows a sigh and unhooks his arm from where it is to open the window to his right, “looks like you can’t tolerate a lot of things” he proclaims, now lifting the animal by its fur, “stop nosing around and go suck a carrot or something.” He offers, and then he kicks the deer outside his window and can hear it from the sky threatening to return and that he’s a reindeer. He closes the window and dusts off his hands, “Problem solved”.

Sanji is gaping, he feels a lot of things, but delight is not one of them, “that’s animal cruelty!”

Zoro snorts and picks his phone from the ground, “and this is not?” he shows him the burned screen with his upper lip curled in disdain.

It doesn’t even have a pulse, you maniac.

“You didn’t have to go that far.” Sanji mumbles because for some reason it feels like if he lets out even one octave higher, he’s screwed for the day.

Zoro raises a brow at him, “and didn’t you have to go to work?”

Looking at the other’s cold glare, Sanji prefers to jet for his work with his head still intact, thank you very much; no one likes to get mentally and emotionally threatened.

“You’re no fun.” he grouses, “fine, I’m going. Call you later.”

 

He finds his bike just outside and he doesn’t even need to contemplate it much because it’s very obvious that this was Zoro’s doing, he must have called one of his pack to bring it to his personal inn. Sanji is thankful, trust him he is, but he dislikes it when people are being used for his own convenience. He is no important person, and walking can’t possibly, least correct, harm him.

 

They did it. They actually did it.

They didn’t just touch or jerk each other off, no. They made love, and Zoro’s _thing_ was inside of him the entire night and, then, the shower, so much came out he thought he was going to drown in it. He can still feel his hole a little stretched, twitching around nothing.

Last night, he and Zoro had sex.

Holy crap!

Although he teased his cock a few times not letting him have his orgasm in peace, Zoro, in all honestly, was nothing if not gentle, which, have you met the son of a bitch, he and gentle are on two opposite directions. Zoro being gentle is a rare thing, it’s a demeanor that doesn’t get shown that very often; so for him to handle Sanji like he’s a piece of glass that could break under too much pressure is quite remarkable.  Sanji, on the other hand, had never felt the way he did last night in the entirety of his life. He was thoroughly loved and cared for. He was carefully and eagerly kissed, touched, looked at… He was well and truly Zoro’s sole attention and he loved every minute of it.

He doesn’t understand his open display of his desires, or how he didn’t mind spreading his legs for Zoro and sharing body heat with another _man_. Actually, he does, he just doesn’t agree with the way he did it now that he’s back to his senses. Zoro didn’t seem to mind so neither should he, but, God, he’s a guy, and he moaned like that… He touches the bite mark, barely registering the way it stings.

No, he’s been putting it wrong.

He and Zoro _finally_ made love.

 

 

This and that, and he is finally at his own apartment, cross his heart he is grateful his parents didn’t leave him homeless. He changes into a Green-day shirt and plain jeans, and he prays Tsuru doesn’t locate him like a WLR, who in their right mind would want to have a talk about the dead with a smile!

 

Zeff is inside the shop, inspecting his beloved items with longing eyes when Sanji walks in after greeting him, shoulders slouched and brows drawn. “Sir, I need to talk to you.” He says, “It’s about yesterday, sir.” Oh, how he’s humble like a sheep.

The other man dismisses his talk with a lazy wave over his shoulder, “don’t worry about it, I had a call from Ronoa Zoro and he explained everything to me, and even though I was planning to cut it from your salary–”

Sanji winces inwardly, _no, his lovely money!_

He’s literally about to cry, but Zeff surprises him when he adds, hurriedly, “but decided not to, the salary is not a lot to begin with and you’re a reliable person, besides, your alibis are very convincing especially when it’s Mr. Zoro who went out of his way to call and explain everything.”

Sanji’s legs almost collapse with relief, “Yeah. Long live Ronoa Zoro, the hero.”

“By the way, son” he leans over the counter to meet Sanji’s eyes, “it’s unusual of Mr. Zoro to do something like this for anyone, do you know him, by any chance?”

 _Yes, he does. He and Zoro had hot passionate sex last night_ is the embarrassing truth but “I work for him sometimes, that’s all.”

“How admirable!” the other nods, “young people nowadays do very little work but complain a lot, you are a model of a hard working young man, you can set an example for them.”

You have no idea.

Sanji smiles, nodding, because _at least the complaining bunch have a normal life_.

The shop owner turns around ready to leave when he suddenly halts in his tracks, “there was something else on my mind, but I can’t seem to remember it” He says in a heard mumble, “I’ll call you if I remember, my memory is getting weaker I’m afraid.” He finally leaves to his own business.

Sanji spends the next hour working and then he admits to himself that he’s missed Robin and wants to see her, he takes out his phone and notices more missed calls registered, this time he calls the number back.

“The number you have dialed–”

He curses but moments later, he receives a text message which reads [I can’t talk right now, but I’ll call you back when I can.]

And his stomach churns.

He goes through his brain memory to see if he knows someone who talks this friendly without reservation, but he can’t seem to find the answer. He will make sure to pick up this one’s call if they ever call again. Robin, on the other hand, is sounding cheerful and Sanji is very much curious to know why.

“You see, the other day when I told you I had lost my powers, I was certain it was permanent, but that’s not the case at all” she chirps, “it seems like girls have this thing called ‘menstruation” –Sanji cringes because bless whoever had to go through the process of explaining that to her– “and for some reason when I had it too, my powers weakened, but soon as it ended, I regained my powers back again.”

 “Hm,” he hums, understandably, “Don’t pull a muscle. Also, I don’t want you telling anybody any of this, for now.”

“Why?”

“Just because.” He shrugs, “Robin, to me, the fact that you lose your powers when you’re on your period is very dangerous news, now I know that you’re at your weakest when it happens, and if others were to know, then who knows how the information would come out.”

“As much as I want to agree with what you’ve just said, but I can’t see why I shouldn’t tell _them_.” She hints, “You know we’re pack now, don’t you?”

“Don’t be so sure, Robin.” Sanji warns, “Besides, I’m your guardian and you’ve already admitted to that, so just do as I say.”

“I don’t understand you anymore.” She sighs heavily, “Didn’t you and Zoro bond last night? Does it mean you still don’t trust him?”

“Your situation is different.” He tells her, “and I want to keep you safe, don’t go around telling people of your weaknesses. If you can’t even keep that a secret, don’t expect others to.” There is a vague pause when Robin doesn’t say anything in return. “Also,” he adds, “I want you home tonight, no staying out and no lingering outside.”

“But, Sanji!” She protests, “I’ve already promised Usopp that I’d meet him.”

He sighs, “don’t expect me to be tolerant after today, I’ll meet you later then.”

Now he’s sounding like that bunny, too.

 

Hours later, Coby walks into the shop with a blue face.

“Howdy,” Sanji greets, “it’s been a while, how ‘you feeling?”

Coby looks like he rather the ground could swallow him alive than converse with anything with a pulse judging by the terribly reddish blush on his cheeks. He nods and takes out a crunched paper from the pocket of his JNY work jeans, “do you have this?”

Sanji takes the paper and inspects it with furrowed brows, and then he finally makes out what the drawing means, “is this supposed to be a winged horse?”

The other nods, “it’s called Chollima.”

Sanji remembers seeing its statuette somewhere around there so he hops off his stool and aims the shelves, and Coby doesn’t follow him like he usually does. Finally, he finds the appareled marble little thing and brings it to the counter to be scanned, “By the way, do you remember that time when you came in and we talked about the strange things that happen at night in town?” he asks, trying to sound indifferent and casual.

The boy nods again, but this time more fervently.

“Well, do you remember when you were talking and suddenly blurted out the word ‘pack’? I wonder what that was about.” He is scanning the item very slowly as to try to coax the answer from Coby, but Coby is awfully shier today that he hasn’t even met his eyes yet.

“You remember that but you don’t recall ripping me off three weeks ago when I bought the figurine of the winged monkey.” He bites out, acidly.

Sanji is taken aback; how does one do a 180 from Piglet to Yosemite Sam in less than two seconds for no apparent reason? He humors the kid anyway and does a double mental check and actually remembers. Sanji didn’t rip him off per se, it’s just that the item he purchased at that time had been the last edition and Zeff put a lit extra price on it. “It would seem so” he says, “Well, to make it up to you, this one is on me.” Because seriously, no offence Coby, but Sanji doesn’t want people mugged in the alleys for three bucks.

The aspiring young man gulps his saliva like he’s plugging an unripe Quince down his throat and flits his eyes away, “I don’t want it anymore.” He huffs on a pout and attempts to run for the door, but he doesn’t get very far because Sanji is on his feet before Coby realizes and has his elbow in his hand. “Col, man” he tightens his grip, “what is it? Did I hurt your feelings or something?”

“Please let go of me!”

If Sanji is a little honest with himself, he can clearly see that this is the first time Coby yells at him like this. The perplexed expression he’s had till now is gone and replaced by a very enraged look.

“Don’t raise your voice.” He orders in an unusually cold tone, “If I hurt you before without knowing then you should outright face me outright, I don’t want you hiding behind your figurines because I know you’re an amazing person and I don’t want to us to be become enemies.”

“It’s…” Coby lowers his head, the blush spreading across the back of his neck, “it’s not like that.”

“Then what is it? Why can’t you even look me in the eyes?” Sanji’s voice goes up.

“Please, Sanji, I don’t want to talk about it, at least not now.” He bows his head and untangles his arm from Sanji’s hold.

Sanji can’t see anything beyond the pink nape. “Give me your cell phone.” He orders out of the blue after he lets go of the other’s surprisingly slender arm.

Coby finally looks up and at him, “what do you want it for?”

Sanji takes it out from his pocket anyway, types his own number and registers it. “You have my number now, call me when you’ve calmed down. I won’t let it slide, Coby.”

 

 

Later when his work is done, he closes down and then inspects the crimson sky which he is certain he can never tire of, and the more he thinks about it, the more it’s clearer how it’s slowly infiltrating into his veins; the smell of the earth, the air and the water, becoming one with his existence and filling up every corner of his being, luring him towards this uninhabited side of the town where green is all you see. He’d want to get lost in it, leave everything behind and just go where his senses take him to, but he can’t. Although he loves the enhancement of his now sharp awareness, he just can’t trust it enough to follow its source.

 

He goes grocery shopping and then he heads to his apartment, he can’t say for sure whether he’s truly missed being by himself enjoying the isolation of his room or not (though Robin was going to get whooped for ignoring his orders), but he knows that it’s been a while since he had that sorrowful dream, and he doesn’t even know why, but he still prefers not having it.

 

After preparing a delicious meal for himself –because he’s still eating delicious food even if a tragedy was to happen– he flops on the couch to watch the news –yes, the news! He can’t even believe how much he’s picked from the pack. And even though he’s glad the bodies stopped dropping around their peaceful town, he knows deep down that what he’s learned about the history of this town from Zoro’s cryptic talk is by far scarier than his own dreary dreams. He is no laidback, he’s always known about those dark secrets that people would rather keep locked behind their doors, just as he knows now that his headaches are caused by the wolves as well, so as long as they exist around him he can never say goodbye to the pain.

The TV is still on but Sanji loses interest in that non-ending circle of commercials, so he turns it off and leans to the back, replaying all the events of the past two weeks. He doesn’t even realize he’s out until he’s dreaming of a happy family around the dinner table and all of a sudden is caught on fire. He knows where this is going and what happens next, and he is definite he doesn’t want to see it so he forces himself out of his dreams and then he is up. He’d lift up this curse that’s devastating him alive if it was truly a curse, but matters of fact cannot really be changed, it is not even fiction represented as facts, but he wonders if changing airs could solve his problem. He’s lived under this roof his whole life, he doesn’t know if he can test that theory.

His dry throat takes him into the kitchen to drink some water just after he peeks at his phone screen which shows three in the morning, and that’s when he hears it, what starts off as a shriek and slowly turns into a loud laugh. He wonders what could make his old neighbor laugh like that at three in the morning. She usually is fast asleep around nine or ten, so the fact that she’s staying up is making Sanji pretty curious. Soon his curiosity turns into something akin to regret after he hears the laughter turning to a cry, and then into a grieving wail. He walks back to the couch in light steps, unaware of the reason behind it. He curls up on himself and hides his ears under his hands, wishing the wailing could end soon. He’s never wanted to be the one staying behind while Law crosses the river, he never wanted to be the one to survive and not even bid him a proper goodbye and he never wished for any of this. He wanted to have a normal life, he wanted to be with his parents until they all grew old and he wanted to finish school and get a job and have a wife and kids, the idea of the circle of life does not sound so boring after all.

He doesn’t know who’s behind the desk of Wish Granting Affairs Department but he or she sucks so much at their job, turning the crying into sheer laughter again, and this time it’s not regret that Sanji feels, it’s fear; utter, unspeakable fear, spreading in him like a disease.

Is he going to spend his life like this?

 

Moments later and he hears someone knocking on his door, he props up, tears slipping from his wide, weeping eyes. He stands up to open it but he soon hears the wailing and the crying again and his legs freeze to the spot with terror.

The pounding on his door returns and Sanji whimpers like a helpless animal driven to a corner.

 

He’s in this stance of alarm and horror when his phone suddenly rings and he almost flies out of his meat suit. Wary, blown pupils on the door, Sanji backs to the couch and picks up his phone. He takes a glimpse of the caller’s ID through the corner of his eyes; as though if he looks away, whatever is behind his door could jump his bones, and man does it feel like a miracle having this little fur ball save the day, “Zoro, hey, what’s up?” Dude, you have no idea how much you’ve just saved him.

“You didn’t call at all.” The man says in his deep voice. “You said you’d call.”

Sanji smiles to himself, it’s weak, it’s tentative, he’s grateful his mate can’t see it. That was an offhand promise, so he never even expected Zoro to take it seriously. It is things like this that make Sanji so helplessly drawn to Zoro.

“What’s wrong?” Zoro demands.

Even if he can’t see it, he can still feel that something is not right. And wow, Sanji gives him credit for that. A while ago, when he was still kept in the dark and didn’t know who Ronoa Zoro was and how great sex with Ronoa Zoro is, or how much he’d been missing on with his psychological alienation, aside from Law, nobody really bothered to second-guess his Game Face. And Zoro does things to him; he doesn’t make him weak. He’d been when he pushed his pretense to the extreme. No. Zoro makes him weird. Bad connotation aside, Sanji can feel himself slowly losing his defenses.

“Nothing, man, I just got startled at the crack of dawn, nothing’s wrong.” He lies, and shortly remembers Zoro can hear his heartbeats.

“What’re you hiding from me?” the other asks, on cue.

“Nothing, I mean it.” He tries for softer, “where ‘you now anyway?” he wonders, in an attempt to switch the subject, which he succeeds at when Zoro answers. “I’m on my way to Shimotsuki, mother called, said we needed to talk.” He breathes out a sigh, “bet that rabbit told her what happened this morning.”

Sanji chuckles because he truly finds Zoro’s and that bunny’s antics enjoyable.

Someone please tell them it’s a deer!

“I hear knocking on your door.” He suddenly points out, and Sanji wants to plug his good ears with cellophane or sand and enjoy the silence that’d come after.

“Um, it must be my neighbor, he can’t even tell his apartment from mine when he’s dead drunk.” He winces, hoping that will pass for the truth.

“I’m hanging up.” Zoro announces and doesn’t wait for Sanji’s protest.

The latter is sitting on his couch, bewildered. _Did he just hang up on him?_ He crunches his nose and flumps the phone on the couch. Zoro better pray for forgiveness because Sanji knows magic now, he can grill his werewolfic ass extra crispy and he wouldn’t even know what hit him.

The knocking soon ends and so does the wailing. Sanji, at last, goes into another battle to conquer insomnia. Although after only half an hour or so, he hears his phone ringing again. He picks it up and with an annoyed sigh, he grouches “What ‘you want now, didn’t you just hung up on me?”

“Open the door.”

Sanji narrows his eyes at the empty, is this guy for real?

He quickly bolts up to his feet and runs towards the door to open it, and that walking pile of handsome and gorgeous and thoughtful is standing at his door like a delivered parcel with Usopp as his pseudo-shadow. Crap. It’s the same man he bonded with last night, and kissed and touched. It’s the same man whose big cock stayed in his ass the whole night. It’s the same man Sanji had jerked off to before kidney-eating ladies became surrogate daughters or before his house became an official preserve of the supernatural.

But Zoro is really here.

“What happened to your trip?”

Zoro walks in and toes-off his shoes, as does the other. He is obviously ignoring the questions Sanji keeps throwing at him when he finally turns around and takes Sanji in a marble hug, “what does it take to bring down your defenses?”

Sanji feels his breath knocked out of him, he is utterly confused and lost by that. Happy, too. He’s so fucking happy Zoro is with him and he wants to wrap his arms around him and purr into his neck and then kiss him drunk. But he wants his questions answered first, and most of all, he wants Zoro to stop hugging him when a member of his pack is around because, more than ghosts, he feels burdened and embarrassed when he and Zoro’s closeness is scrutinized by peoples’ eyes. “What is it?”

Zoro pulls back and twines his fingers with Sanji’s, knocking their foreheads together, “What the hell happened here, place smells awful.”

“You just ruined the mood, good job, dickhead.” Sanji mutters but quickly closes his eyes. Although Usopp is looking like he couldn’t be emotionally moved even if Sanji saved a puppy from drowning in a raging river, the close spectatorship, again, makes him uncomfortable.

He wants to embrace this man who held off an important trip for his sake and cry with all his might, but men aren’t supposed to cry because they are scared, a man is supposed to cry only three times in his life: when he’s born, when his parents die, and when he loses his country, or so the saying goes. But the relief leaves Sanji’s legs wobbly, and honestly, he just wants to leave snob and tears on the man’s shoulder. “I’m glad you came, though you didn’t have to take it this far.” He chuckles, now motioning with his head, “come in, it’s pretty late.”

 

After spending a solid twenty minutes assuring Zoro that his mate’s safety was not, in any shape or size, threatened, Usopp retreats to Robin’s room, muttering a sleepy ‘she’s with the pack’ over his shoulder.

 “Your dates have been increasing a lot, lover boy. I don’t want you stealing her away from me that much.” He finally states his complaints.

“What ‘you talking about?” is Usopp’s honest answer.

“I know you and Robin are dating.”

“No, we aren’t.” says Usopp, “who’s filling your head with lies, man?”

“Wait, didn’t you guys confess to each other in the Ferris wheel?”

“ _I_ did, but she turned me down and that was it.”

“What about your house, did she really go with you to your house?” if anything, the look on Sanji is very much amusing.

“I’m telling you we’re not seeing each other, why the hell would I take her to my house?” he grits out, bitterly, “please, stop reminding me of this.”

Sanji finally sees the melancholy swirling inside his eyes and he sets the man free from his misery.

 

Zoro and Sanji are on the couch, side by side, not saying anything until the latter finally decides to tear that silence apart.

“I’ll deal with Robin later, but has your mother finally decided on taking things with you a little more seriously?”

Zoro leans heavily on the backrest, “she actually told me to bring you along, guess she wants to meet you.”

Sanji’s mouth hangs open, “and you were planning to go by yourself, why?”

“ _Because_ ” he grumbles “mother is judgmental. She won’t try to understand, she’ll assume things after one glance at your pretty face.” He waves two fingers, gesturing at Sanji’s face.

Sanji’s smirk widens, reeling his head to his mate, “you think my face is pretty?”

Zoro rolls his eyes and straightens up, “since I can’t go back to my house, how about you give me a place to sleep?”

“Mm, for some reason my room rejects you, long story” –he adds after the other gives him a look–” you can use the couch. I’ll go get you a blanket.”

 

He comes back with a large and white quilt, “if you still feel cold, open that built-in linen and pick what you want.”

“Sanji,” the other calls out, seemingly annoyed at the room service. Well, suck it, rich boy. Sanji doesn’t bathe in milk or wear silk. “Sleep on the couch,” he ushers, “I need to make sure of something.”

Sanji has a pretty decent idea why his guest is being such a whiny little bitch, he groans irritably and flumps back-first into the couch, blowing a weary sigh, “it’s not Ostrich feather but it’s still comfortable, I promise.”

Zoro surprises him when he presses Sanji down to the couch on his side, and insinuates himself behind to spoon him, all the while grabbing the cover with him to fling it over them.

A wave of safety and _home_ tides over Sanji, he doesn’t even hate it. He repositions himself properly until he’s comfortable under Zoro’s heavy arm around his middle. “I’m going with you tomorrow.” He informs his mate who is at the moment shoving his face into the crook of Sanji’s neck and making soft throaty noises. “I should meet her and explain everything.”

Zoro’s motions pause, “You still don’t get it, do you?” He is awed, “I don’t want to explain my life choices to anyone, and I most certainly don’t want you to do it for me.”

“I’m not doing it for you,” Sanji amends, “I’m doing it for me.”

Zoro gives him silence in return.

“I want her to get to know me. I want to prove to her how much I want this, and how much I deserve to be with you.” He explains, “Don’t tell me you don’t care about that because I do. I can’t stand the thought of people disagreeing with what we have, especially if it’s your mother. Now, I may not have parents whom I can share these happy news with, but I want to make your mother happy about us, and I’m pretty certain I don’t appreciate you getting worked up over this and saying no one can tell you what to do.”

“We’ll see how it goes.” This is all the man says as he leans in for another languid kiss to his temple before he bids good night.

Sanji closes his eyes, and he can finally sleep at ease.

 

The morning sun today is faint and in no mood to glow, but Sanji forces himself to wake up and the first thing he notices is the empty space behind him. So he really went by himself, that idiot. He picks his phone and goes to check on Usopp but finds that the guy had evacuated already.

 

He carries on his usual work, but seeing how he’s slept at almost four in the morning and woke up at seven, he can really use some shuteye since not many customers are coming anyway. He leans on the counter and closes his eyes, it’s sweet, and alluring, the taste of the very few trances of a nap.

 

He sees the familiar door and he walks through it.

“So you have come, again” The Imugi announces.

“So I have.” Sanji sighs and sits on the floor, cross-legged.

“What other queries might you have for me this time?” he asks. His tail swivels effortlessly but the sound it results in sends a shiver down the man’s spine.

“I don’t know,” he shrugs, “since I’m here it must mean I passed out on the counter.”

“So you have finally been marked by the wolf.” the Imugi points out.

“How the do you know that?” he asks, but quickly holds up a hand, “know what? Don’t answer that.” He doesn’t think he has the capacity for that yet, and can’t he keep anything a secret from anyone anymore?

“Congratulations are in order, I believe.” He relents, and Sanji’s jaw almost drops with surprise. A colossal reptile did not just congratulate him for getting drilled, balls deep!

“Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you, can you _please_ just tell me what I am?”

The Imugi’s body snakes more and Sanji can’t come to tolerate the grating noise it causes.

“No knowledge comes without cost, lad.” He answers, “And just as your ancestors sacrificed to attain answers, so will you.”

Sanji’s lips part to utter something but he’s soon being pulled outside the door and he wakes up startled.

“Sorry, I tried to wake you up several times, didn’t mean to start you.” A teen girl explains. Small eyes worrying, lips pressing together.

He gives her a serene smile in return, “It’s gotten this late already; so did you buy anything?”

“Yes, this” –she points at a silver flask with a blush– “please scan it for me.”

It’s Sanji’s policy not to question his clients’ choices or pry on their privacy, but he can’t have a teen girl buying shady stuff like this, “I’m sorry, I can’t sell it to you if you’re buying it for personal use, and you shouldn’t drink.”

“Oh no, it’s not for me! It’s a present for my dad, tomorrow is his birthday.”

She waits for the item to get scanned, and after she leaves, he sits and stews about the pack’s birthdays. It piqued his attention and he knows it’s not going anywhere. Especially when he realizes he has no idea when or where Zoro was born. He puts it in his mind to bring it up when his mate is back from his trip, and he notes it to be subtle. And you know what, he even thinks that sending a text now would be a terrific idea and he does set himself to do it but refrains from that when he reads the text he’s received from the same mysterious caller.

[I came to see you last night, but it seems you weren’t there.]

Sanji texts him back, [It was 3 in the effing morning, who does that?]

The reply comes soon after, [You are right, but I still want to see you.]

Sanji’s heart gives a loud thump. He types in reply, [I don’t know you, and I don’t want to get involved with you, stop bothering me.]

And the replies stop, Sanji takes the signal as his cue to close down and go home.

 

He’s walking under the unusually bright sky night, and then he takes out his phone and sends a text to Zoro, his upper teeth biting down his bottom lip.

[ ** _It just crossed my mind, but that night we first met, how did you know where I work?_** ]

Expecting no reply back from Zoro, he aims to return his cell into his pocket but a call surprises him.

“Hello?”

“Sanji, It’s Mia!” He says, joyfully.

“Ah, Mr. Dracule!” Sanji gushes, “how’s it going?”

“I guess you finished work by now, right?” he asks, “let’s meet, I’ll come get you.”

Man, his timing frigging sucks.

 

It’s just a few minutes later when Dracule comes by in his yellow Porsche, he picks him up from the spot he’s been waiting at and they make their way to the only club in town, Paradise.

“Order anything you want, it’s all on me.” Dracule offers as he gets out of the car and locks the doors.

Sanji shakes off his bitterness, especially after the awkward ride here where they exchanged only a few words, and he is slowly feeling thrilled for the free booze that is sure to follow, and more than thrilled, there’s really no other word to it.

 

The club’s entire foundation is bouncing with the loud music, the disco ball flowing overhead, gets blocked when the smoke machine hisses and then there’s fog everywhere, penetrated by multicolor laser beams.  

Sanji observes the effects and the beats thumping in the background, finally spotting Dracule prodding his way to the dance floor where two plump ladies with lush bodies are ushering him closer. Sanji lifts a thumps-up when the man winks at him for the prizes he’s going to score tonight, and goes to order the drinks. He might not be good with loud atmospheres –he likes to live his life in the background because he’s really not a huge fan of spotlights– but he’s making tonight an exception. Someone is paying for his drinks, Zoro reciprocates his feelings, the pack admitted to liking him a little tiny bit, and again, Zoro, okay so the bit about immolation and angry mothers isn’t very worth celebrating, but, free booze! So he might as well drink the night away.

 

“Hey, easy now, tiger.” Dracule snatches the fifth glass from him and drinks what’s in it. “We’re here to have fun, not to get shitfaced, well that too, but fun first _._ ”

Sanji is almost gone, the tip of his nose and the blushed cheeks give him away; “since when do you have four eyes?” He stutters.

“Come on, man.” He drags Sanji by his arm, “you need to dance it off.” He advises, and Sanji has no mental strength to go into a scientific debate with Dracule about the capacity of inebriated brains.

He steps to the dance floor and grabs Sanji closer, the look on his face when he turns around is of content, but compared to Zoro’s dangerous eyes, Dracule’s are way off. They’re dancing together with the same lush ladies grinding on them and sliding along his body, redefining his body with their tits _and all this for free!_ His childhood friend would have bitten down on his nails with envy –he is suddenly startled when calloused hands rest on his hips. Turns out Dracule is front grinding on him now, and it’s a little unsettling because he’s never anticipated a dude’s sack pressing on his, and what makes it even more disconcerting is Dracule leaning into his neck and scenting the spot where Zoro left the bite marks, still raw and sensitive, as though to ascertain the significance of its existence.

Sanji groans his discomfort, stepping to the back a little. It’s true he bonded with a man, and it’s true his heart beats like a cat’s whenever Zoro’s name is even mentioned, but that doesn’t mean he goes around having the hots for every guy with muscles. And Dracule needs to understand that this is just Sanji letting off some steam, not cheating on the man he loves.

Dracule pulls away, and for a brief second, icy blue hues glow within his pupils which has Sanji backing away altogether.

 

It’s around ten in the evening when Dracule calls it quit and suggests giving him a ride back home.

 

“Holy jeez man, that Wang lady was _loaded_!” Dracule gushes, single-handedly turning the steering wheel to the left, “boobies, man, boobies, and hers were _huge_ ” –he estimates the size of her breasts with his hand as he cups the air with his other unoccupied hand– “What about the one with the yellow shorts?” he points his thump towards the direction of the club, “he’d topple over me any time he wants, I’m telling you” Which kind of shows where his sexuality lies.

Sanji barks a laugh, “he’d match your car.”

Dracule returns his laugh, “I’d probably keep him in the trunk for safekeeping,” he chuckles now, “he was totally _hitting_ on you, though.” And that’s the understatement of the year because yellow-short guy was strong on coming on him.

“You saw that?” Sanji is impressed, “no offense but you’re so sharp about the weirdest thing.”

“Tell me you didn’t like it and I’ll stop.” He challenges with a cocky sneer.

“Seriously, man” Sanji shakes his head as though he’d shake his memory off, because bet your ass he didn’t like it. “Talk about awkward. I’m going to fold the dear memory of me getting sexually harassed by squeeze-y hands and store it in my never-to-open-again book of memories, and just let it die.”

They laugh jointly this time, and Dracule can’t fight the urge to tease, “Why, he liked you. You’d make a pretty good pair.”

“Wouldn’t pick him even if a tornado took over and there was just me and him stranded.”

Dracule rocks in his seat as he laughs and gives the poor steering wheel a punch, and then he glances fleetingly at the one riding shotgun after he calms down, an eyebrow going up, “alright then, what about me? Wouldn’t you give me a go?”

“You laugh like a hyena gone nuts, so that’s a no for you.”

Dracule proves his point when he laughs again. “Ussop?”He changes the candidate.

“Don’t even get me started, did you see how he _lurks_?” he flails a hand towards the direction of the woods afar, “the guy could literally be lurking as we speak, with eyes ready to flash laser.”

Dracule’s laughter now is more controlled, “Luffy?”

“He goes with the tide and is good at it,” Sanji looks out the window, “he really needs to trust himself a little more.”

“Okay, Frank now”

“No and a hundred nos.” Sanji rubs an eye, “I bet he’s the jealous type, those are never good and would suffocate you with how paranoid they are, eventually, they’re just never going to trust you, so what’s the point?”

Dracule purses his lips, impressed, “well said.”

Sanji sighs in relief when Dracule doesn’t add Zoro to the list.

Did he want to delve into this man’s and Zoro’s past together? Yes, he did. However, any other talks about Zoro were masterfully ignored by the man and so Sanji didn’t bother to pry.

 

The yellow Porsche smoothly pulls by the side of Sanji’s residence, and before vacating the car, he bows his head, “Thanks for tonight, I really needed it.”

“Don’t even mention it,” Dracule shows him teeth when he beams, “call me whenever you’re up for some fun.”

“Good night, then.” He says, tersely.

 

The car finally drives off and Sanji sighs in a full-bodied manner, breathing in the chilling breeze of September’s first cold night.

Moments later and he feels a buzz coming from his pocket, and he can’t believe the way his heart jumped up almost to his throat. He can’t really tell if the adrenaline is rolling in because of fear or excitement, he does hope this night gets a few more days to finally get out, they can rebuke him later.

He quickly fishes his phone out of his pocket, finding a text that reads [ ** _I saw you at the shop two months ago, you were petting a stray cat, and I thought to myself ‘he’s beautiful’._** ]

Sanji mutters undecipherable noises, he wants to punch something. How can Zoro say embarrassing things so easily and expect Sanji to go along with it. He vibrates silently with delight for a beat before tilting his head back and letting out a sigh of relief. He will appreciate this feeling and engrave it into his heart, mind and soul. His entire being is not going to forget how he is overshadowed by delight and happiness right now, although he can’t bring himself to deny the fact that he’s gone and done what the pack and Zoro have been telling him not to, but he likes to go his own pace, and just like he also hates judgmental people, he also doesn’t one to be one. And today, he got to know a little side of Dracule he didn’t even know the guy had in him; judging people based on what others tell you is not only wrong, but completely unjust to the party involved.

He is mentally preparing a speech to tell the pack if this night ever gets out when he hears the one thing that can buckle his knees, turn his darkness to light, and his despair to happiness.

“Sanji.”

Said male reels around very slowly, praying what he is hearing now is not just a drunken reverie, praying what he is hearing is just a projection, a mind trick to revive the voice of his only salvation, the key to his profound happiness.

He sees him, at last.

He wants to cry, he wants to scream with joy and sadness, and he wants to smile. And only now does he understand the crying and the laughter he’s heard the night before coming from Tsuru’s walls. She was right in not knowing what to do exactly, because, he too, is at a loss for words.

“We finally meet.”

Sanji’s vision becomes blurry with unshed tears and his jaw tightens, attempting to hold in his unspoken words. But he forces himself, he puts all his power to cross that line and blurt out the words because the other’s smile is as warm, bright and amiable as ever.

“L-Law… Falgar Law.”

 


	18. Chapter 18

 

 

 

Hours of driving have worn Zoro out. He hated long road trips in confined spaces the most, he’s a werewolf for Pete’s sake; he should be prowling through the forest on four as the mystery of the full-moon in the clear sky draws him like a bacon. He should be digging claws into wet soil as he and his pack hunt down some poor bastard: omegas. _God_ , those always give him the worst of headaches because hunting them down as they cross his territory has always been a task when ethics have become part of it; he curses tech jargons for how sociable werewolves have come to be.

Or better yet, he should be making up for the time he and Sanji weren’t even a thing, but not _this_ –driving for almost an hour, in an eye-catching piece of conveyance, on a bumpy road? If his ancestors heard about this, they’d turn in their graves.

 

Signs of him approaching his mother’s villa finally give, and he can’t help the frustrated sigh when he glances over at the massive structure –his mother sure obsessed over majestic dwellings.

The villa is incorporated into one of the eerier mountains that stand in rows, one of the several winding roads –which he’s been driving on– leads to the lower level of the forest, and he muses the thought of a fortress surrounding the area, it’d make the place look like a painting.

He finally reaches the place and drives up a sloping driveway and through the sliding gates, finding several, well-dressed servants at the front door for him. Zoro fights the urge to roll his eyes because he’s told them in more than an occasion that he hated the attention. He leaves the car, knowing the guard will take care of it, and he saunters in, nodding as they greet him with “welcome home, young master”. He walks into the hall that has plaster pillars at each side, and through the massively arched entrance, into a delicately balanced living-room beneath vaulted white ceiling. He grinds to a stop when he finally sees her, perched over a velvet armchair, gazing somewhere over her late husband’s portrait placed on the mantel of the fireplace.

“Evening, mother.” He greets, tone a notch down with exhaustion and one up to yearning.

“Zoro,” she relents, levering up to her feet, “it’s been a long, long time.”

He cocks a brow at her, “did you” –he furrows now, uncertain– “did you just quote Harry James?”

“And Kitty Kallen” She adds, approaching her son now to give him one of her rare dearly hugs, and he stiffens, the same reaction that would make his face scrunch up inadvertently. She is showing him openly how much she’s missed him, something she almost never does. His mother laughs at her son and holds him by the shoulders, looking behind at the entrance hall and back at his face, “where is he?” she asks, “I thought I said to bring him with you.”

“Well,” he cracks his neck, lazily, “there’s just me for now.” He offers, “You’ll meet him after you and I have a good talk.”

She gives a slight nod, “but you know better than to dismiss an order.”

“That was an order?” he snorts, “mother, you’ve gone soft.” He smiles, and instead of clawing his cheeks, she actually smiles back.

“Don’t underestimate me, young man,” She chuckles and Zoro slowly feels the tension leaving them alone, “You’ve found a mate, and I’ll have to meet him before we celebrate, considering that I had to go through the trouble of dealing with Rona’s family, to clean your mess, as usual.”

“She tried to rip my mate’s _heart_ out, you expected me to sit by and be wowed? She had it coming.” He sighs, “Look, mother, I’m tired. Let’s talk about this later.”

He tries to pull away from her strong grip, but momentarily teeter as her grip tightens more.

“You–” she starts, a haze of something unfathomable swirls into her eyes, and it disappears before Zoro even gets a glimpse of it. “You smell different.”

“An hour drive does that to a person,” he reminds her, shrugging. “I’m sweaty and if you don’t mind, I’d like to go change and bathe.”

“No.” She denies, “It’s something else.” She studies him with narrow eyes, icy blueness twanging in her pupils for a fraction of a second. “It’s inside.”

It alerts him, and if he’s a little honest with himself, it does more than just alert him on certain levels, it worries him. His mother is not your run-of-the-mill Werewolf. Her senses are sharper than most of the Betas in the household, and sharper than most of the Alphas in the country. She’s lived for a very long time and hence the ability to tell that something was certainly off about her son.

“What ‘you mean?”

She looks somewhere over his shoulder, “Prepare a quarter for my son.” She orders, acidly, and Zoro can hear some of the servants scurrying towards the marble stairs, he feels for them because even he can never deal with a pissed-off hundred-years old female Alpha. Said woman looks up into his questioning eyes, “Would you like them to prepare a feast or a simple meal?”

“Nothing fancy would suffice.” He replies, his pupils unable to settle on one thing, trembling with turmoil.

“Go now,” she ushers him, stepping back and waving towards the vaulted ceiling, “go soak, let’s talk over a cup of coffee when you’re done.”

Hesitatingly, he walks away from her and up to the prepared room, opens its door and goes in. He eyes it after slumping back on the wall. It looks a lot like his room back in his house, minus the flat ceiling, because this one has a white vaulted ceiling. He chuckles numbingly when he sees that even the black and white mixture is present, his mother could have gone for creative this time around. She’s always hated his taste in colors, especially that everything he has is either black or white; but she’s come to terms with it after one grueling day of being at each other’s throats about the colors, she eventually admitted that the mixture does somehow describe her son’s personality, and he had to fight the urge to snort humorlessly at that so she wouldn’t claw his face.

He finally shrugs out of his clothes and dives into the large tub; he’s planned this since he got into the car this morning. Well, if he hadn’t dealt with the sudden urgent banking situation that occurred in the morning he would have arrived at lunch time, so what he’s saying is, it’s been a long, tiring day, and he doesn’t want to think of anything at the moment but his sore limbs.

 

After soaking for a good, blissful hour, he changes into his sweats: blue marine sweatpants and a white tank top. His wet hair stays unkempt. He walks down to the living room and finds the table set with all his favorites. His mother is sitting at the head of the table, without even looking up she ushers him to sit at the other end, her hands picking the napkin in her left to unfurl it over her lap. Zoro seats himself at the other end of the table and does the same. He scans the cutlery and whatnot in front of him and hates how he’s never picked their names or what they’re used for.

“You must be hungry,” his mother reminds, working on picking the dinner fork, _he remembers now_ , “eat.”

He nods, picking the dinner knife and fork; he cuts the under-cooked steak over his plate and almost retches at the sight of the blood that squeezes out from it.

“What seems to be the matter?” His mother inquires, zeroing in on him.

He feels restless by the weight of her gaze so he shakes his head, mumbling coyly something between the lines of not hungry. He sags back against the backrest and picks the red wine glass, taking a large swig to cool his stomach, his dinner going ignored for now. “Where’s sis?” He asks, his eyes studying the place –anything to escape his mother’s piercing glare.

She finally puts her fork down and uses the napkin to wipe the corners of her lips, “I’ve sent her for a business transaction overseas.” She reports, “I’m planning to open a new branch office in South Kuraigana. I’ve given them a very generous offer that they couldn’t turn down.”

“And why wasn’t I informed?” he exclaims, eyes transfixed on his mother’s old ones. “I thought Kuina was already in charge of our PFH in Ohara, did she say yes? –wait, was this _her_ idea?”

“She didn’t notify me of the share numbers’ decrease, she didn’t even notify the Registrar of Companies. I had to switch her post.” She informs, her voice growing deep into the silence of the night.

“ _Mother_ ” –Zoro puts the glass back on the table and leans forward– “that’s not just some innocent slip-up. You know better than anyone that by not notifying the share’s decrease, or increase for that matter, within ten working days, we’d get charged with fraud.” He rakes shaky fingers through his hair, “You should have called me. I’d have dealt with it, but instead, you send her to Kuraigana, what, so she’d mess up another 'business transaction' there?”

“Do you see me handcuffed?” His mother hints, taking the white wine glass to sip from, “I took care of it, nothing a handful of cents couldn’t fix. In fact, the Corp _and_ the Repository sent letters of appreciation.” She winks at him and raises her glass for cheers.

Zoro rolls his eyes, “well, thank God for small mercies,” he sighs bitterly and shakes his head, “so, what about Kuina? When is she coming home?”

“In a couple of days” She says, “She’s been there for a while, it shouldn’t be long now.” She shrugs a shoulder and takes a swig of her wine, “So, what’s his name?”

Zoro’s heart gives a ridiculously loud thump, he raises his gaze to meet hers –planning to protest, but he soon swallows his protest, witnessing her blank stare. “I thought the rabbit told you everything.”

“He’s a reindeer, and yes, he did.” She says, “I still won’t forgive you for kicking him out of your window. He’s an ancient creature, very honorable, should be treated with respect.” she tells him as her eyebrows arch up, on a warning cue, “but” –she lets out a sigh– “it’s not him I want to talk about right now.”

“His name’s Sanji.” Zoro resigns, “I met him a few weeks ago, a totally coincidental encounter, I promise.” He says hurriedly as she squints at him, “mother” –he licks his lips and props his elbows over the table– “he’s so different. I swear, from the moment I saw him, I just couldn’t–” he pauses, snorts disparagingly at his own words, “I don’t know how to describe it, but there’s something about him that draws me against my will, as if there is another me, buried deep within, wanting to crawl his way out whenever Sanji’s around.” He finally risks a glance to his mother to ask, “Let me not get ahead of myself, you must have heard about his blood.”

She nods, deeply.

“A few weeks ago, we dealt with a Gumiho, and after he helped her with the ritual that turned her into a human again, something we didn’t even consider. She told us that he was a vessel, but then Rona said he was a witch, and to be honest, we still don’t know what he really is.” He scrubs his nape, trying to ease the anger that is slowly growing evident.

“You need to calm down,” his mother prompts, and honestly, Zoro wants to flip the table and claw something, even calming down seems futile at this point as he tries to even out his breathing. He looks up and the room spins around him, his eyes fall back to the under-cooked steak and he recoils, pushing back his chair with a loud creak.

“Zoro,” his mother warns coldly, her voice is anything but, “I need you to calm down.”

He feels it, the other him that’s buried deep within, wanting to crawl out, and it terrifies him, “Mother...” he wheezes out, falling to the floor on his four and retching, but nothing comes out. He can feel his mother barking orders, and can hear footsteps scurrying around like ants, and then, through his blurry vision, he sees his mother crouching beside him, rubbing his back.

“Take a deep breath,” she whispers, “Zoro, don’t panic.”

It’s only several minutes later that he finally calms down, slumping to the back and leaning against the foot of the table, his chest heaving up and down as a fine sheet of sweat covers his face.

“Zoro?” His mother emerges within his vision, carrying a glass of water; her worried eyes send him spiraling to guilt for scaring her.

“Didn’t” –he starts, swallowing the bile with a face scrunched up in disgust– “didn’t mean to scare you.”

“What the bloody hell was that?” she asks, forcing the glass of water to his lips, and after gulping its content with ease, he looks at her and shrugs, “carsick, maybe?”

“You ripped out a Chupacabra’s heart when you were nine, and you didn’t even flinch!” –She gives him the _Bull, kid_ look and adds– “This is new, it’s strange.”

“Yes, your son’s never felt sick before.” He chuckles, “it’s a good chance to see you going all mother hen on me.”

She chuckles, her stiff shoulders finally easing up. “That was such a scare.”

“Mother,” he croaks out, his voice hoarse from all the retching, “sorry about the mess, but I feel tired, I’d like to go and lie down.”

“You do that,” she agrees instantly, “I’ll have someone clean up your mess, _again._ ”

He rolls his eyes at her and quickly smiles, he’s had a chance to see her worried sick for him, and that was as refreshing as it’d get. He picks himself up and wobbles towards his room again. Rinsing his mouth before going to bed worked wonders, and he’s lying over the satin sheets, recovering from the harsh muscle reflexes. He’s never thrown up in his entire life, he’s never gotten sick so this is very alarming, and he knows his mother isn’t going to get a good night’s sleep pondering this.

 _God_ , he wants to see Sanji.

He wants to have him here, between his arms, talking and laughing with him, hugging and kissing him back.

He can’t forget the way Sanji trembled beneath him, and the way his skinny arms winded around him, clinging so tight. He can’t forget the way Sanji tried to stifle his moans in a way that made him go wild, which also ended up in Sanji letting go of his delicious moans. He also can’t, for the life of him, forget the way Sanji’s alluring eyes stayed on his as the name ‘Zoro’ slipped from his lips, whimpered.

Sanji was amazing, taking all of him in and staying that way for the entire night; the two of them, being one.

He’d been struggling with himself not to do anything rush, not with his engagement to Rona still legally and officially valid, but Sanji’s existence alone made that very hard to endure sometimes. He’d felt this pull way before Sanji appeared in the woods; it’d only gotten stronger with the longevity of his stays. He’d had many chances to chase Sanji away, for both their sakes, but the thought alone caused his wolf to howl and he eventually realized that he cannot bear with Sanji being away.

Sanji’s not easy, Zoro must say. He’s not the kind of guy who listens, which is very challenging because he doesn’t meet a lot of people who go against what he says. Make that none, actually. Sanji is the first. He likes to go in his own pace, and he, sometimes, goes out of his way to keep that from being hindered. He is like a bird, he’s very free and it makes Zoro worry every time if Sanji leaves, he would never return. He’s exactly like a wanderer. He doesn’t like being shackled to one place, to one life or to one person. And werewolves bond for life.

Although the blond had admitted to being scared of being discarded like an old chair, Zoro feels like he was being unjust keeping his own securities to himself. He and Sanji didn’t get a chance to better know each other, haven’t gone on a real date yet, but the way they melted into each other that night sort of asserted the fact that both were impatient.

Every time he smelled arousal oozing out of Sanji he wanted to bend the man over the couch and do him hard until he saw stars. He can’t figure out exactly when did Sanji start to like him, but he is only happy that he is at least liked.

Being a werewolf, and an Alpha, has taught Zoro many things; he can differentiate between the smiles he sees on people’s faces, he can smell their buried anger and jealousy, and he can hear the lies in their flattery spiels. He returns the disguised smiles with scathing glares, he treats the jealous ones poorly and he scolds the ones with fake adulation. So he knows. He knows a man with his character isn’t well liked, and that most of the women and the male omegas that had approached him had wanted an heir merely to inherit some of the famous Ronoa wealth. So for Sanji, the complete opposite of him, to genuinely open up to someone like Zoro and smile to him without an ounce of malice or envy and to simply enjoy his company, it really reshaped a lot of his judgments.

The smiles on Sanji’s face are shy, playful or gracious. He smiles openly, and it always reaches his gleaming eyes. If he feels envy, he voices it out but Zoro’s never actually smelt it on the man so he assumes Sanji only _wants_ to look jealous. He generally does not care about a luxurious life, especially if it means that shackles are going to be placed on him. Sanji always speaks what’s on his mind, and he never endeavors to sugarcoat it.

And Zoro… he really likes that about him.

At the thought, he searches for his phone and finds it over the nightstand; he goes over the new received messages and finally finds Sanji’s.

**[It just crossed my mind, but that night we first met, how did you know where I work?]**

Zoro’s lips slowly stretch into a smile, struggling to fight past the foggy sleep that has settled over his eyes.

He remembers that night, the first time he saw him.

 

_They’d crept through the forest for three long hours before he felt the threat sneak into his territory. He’d steered his pack towards it to fight it, but all they found was a young man sleeping on the leaves and dirt. Zoro crouched down to scent him and all he’d differentiate from the unusual smell was a tiny tinge of ‘Oak wood, ancient, odd and antique’, he titled more to get a good look at the man’s face and immediately recognized him._

_A few months before the incident, Zoro had been at work, minding his own business when one of his pack had called in to inform him of the new murder; he'd been growing impatient with the murders increasing at an alarming rate within his territory, and he’d had decided that they were leveling up their watch and tightening security._

_This time, he’d gone to check the body of the victim to get a good idea about what they’d been dealing with. And during his inspection, he’d felt something, and it was eerie to say the least. It’d spoken to him in a whisper. He’d expected it to be the thing they’d been hunting, so he ignored the inspector and the two other officers who had been dying to prove themselves to him for some strange reason, and he’d walked away._

_The voice had whispered again, barely recognizable; inhuman, he could tell._

_He’d felt his walk grow into hasty steps, and then develop into a jog and then he was running. The voice had spoken louder as he ran, so he couldn’t stop, afraid he might lose that sole connection to whatever it was that had tried to reach out to him. He’d run aimlessly, crossing streets and bumping into people on the way, and then the honk blaring into his ear had been his only indication that that’d gone too far and he ground to a halt in front of a Stop sign. The voice had vanished as if it’d never been there, and Zoro had panted, sniffing in cold air and blowing out hot steam. He had looked around still, his eyes finally settling on long and delicate hands, hands that had been petting a Tabby cat between the ears. Zoro had traced those hands to finally see their owner: a golden-haired young man smiling from ear to ear as the cat purred in response to his ministration. He was ordinary, everything about him shouted ‘ordinary’ yet it had soothed Zoro, pacified whatever anger he’d had through the years and lulled him slowly into a silent sphere where only he existed; a sphere so safe and assuring, and grieve-free. His shoulders had drooped limply, wanting nothing but to close his eyes and enjoy the sanctuary of this new found feeling. He didn’t want to share it, even thinking about it in the presence of someone else felt like a betrayal. The other man across the street rose up to his feet and dusted off his jeans, and then walked back into the shop of Zeff’s Antiques when a customer, he assumes now, came in._

 

Zoro now remembers this with deep longing, and he wonders if the voice he heard then was his inner wolf guiding him to his mate, he likes the sound of that.

He replies back to the text with a **[I saw you at the shop two months ago, you were petting a stray cat, and I thought to myself, ‘he’s beautiful’.]** And doesn’t even flinch as he types it and sends it, then without waiting for a reply back, he immediately falls into a deep slumber.

 

Morning comes and with it comes a terrible nausea. Zoro buries his face into the pillows and groans, still carsick? The door flings open and his mother storms in with another guest tagging along.

“Zoro,” she starts, “up.”

“Leave me alone.” He groans again, fighting the feeling of sickness.

“I’ve brought a doctor to examine you.” She gushes, pulling the covers from him, “it’s unusual for you to get sick,” she sighs. “In fact, it’s abnormal.”

Zoro sits up very slowly, and he leans back on the headboard to eye the new guest, “Not _again._ ” He huffs with a twinge of clear annoyance.

“We meet again, Ronoa Zoro.”

Said male looks up at his mother, “I’m fine. Just get this rabbit out of my room.”

“He’s a reindeer. And I’m afraid I can’t do that,” she shakes her head, “I couldn’t sleep at all last night, thinking of this. I can’t be sure of anything until he examines you.”

“I’m not letting a hoofed monster, who bad mouthed my mate by the way, not gonna let him touch me.” Zoro berates, eyes glowing red for a fleeting nanosecond.

“I only spoke the truth about your” –the deer’s face crinkles with distaste– “ _mate._ ”

Without even touching the floor beneath his feet, Zoro jumps out of his bed and in a flash, he finds himself mounting a started deer, his claws inches apart from its eyes.

“I do understand that this thing is necessary for the family business whatsoever, but he’s pushing his luck.” He grits out, caustically, “if you bring Sanji’s name up again, I’ll rip your spine right out of your mouth.”

The deer is still processing the threat when Zoro’s head suddenly sways and Chopper pulls him down to re-positions him on the floor, all the while, Zoro’s mother steps out of the room to call more servants.

“You hate me,” Chopper announces the title of their antics, “I don’t like you either, but I work for the first Alpha and it’s my job to care for your well-being.”

Zoro flutters his eyes open to eye the other, “my threat still stands” he wheezes out, “if you as much as bring him up –”

“I won’t.” He cuts him off, “I’ll heed your orders, even _I_ know a real threat when I see one, and you, Mr. Zoro, are definitely a threat.”

Said male’s eyes tremble so he quickly pushes the other off, feeling a sting in his stomach with an inclination to vomit, so he musters his strength, or what’s left of it anyway, to run towards the bathroom; but he’s barely ingested any meal in the past two nights, and he knows the muscle reflexes are going to leave him with nothing but pain again. Chopper and Mrs. Ronoa wait by the door as a pale-faced Zoro finally walks out, tottering on his heels.

“So, can you help or are you all bark and no bite?”

Funny, because it’s a deer, get it?

Chopper ushers him to the bed and Zoro flops down on it with a loud sigh, he wonders if this is how it feels for humans to be sick, if yes, it’s not entertaining at all.

“Let’s go over when this first started.” Chopper says, changing into his scarier form now, and if it wasn’t for the sore muscles, Zoro would have flinched.

“Two nights ago, I guess?” He dampens his lips, “it started as simple appetite loss, and then fatigue and shaky legs.” He recounts, thinking of more symptoms but coming out with zero; “that’s all.”

“And the vomiting?” Chopper inquires with his groggy, yellow eyes bugging out more for an answer.

“It started yesterday. Somehow, I’d get nauseated just at the sight of food, makes me feel sick.” And just at the mention of it, it sends a wave of nausea to his stomach again. He coils up on his side and groans. “Just what the hell is happening to me?”

“Well, for starters” Chopper sidesteps the bed, “Werewolves can fight any sort of infection, so that tells us the cause is supernatural.”

“You’re telling me my son was hexed?” She demands, doggedly.

“Possibly.” Chopper nods, “but very unlikely.”

“So which is it?” Zoro growls out, pressing an arm to his middle.

“It’s something you ate.” Chopper finally informs the two, “something very powerful too seeing how it has turned you into this puny cub.”

The other two send him a biting glare and Chopper raises conciliating hooves in the air, “just trying to clarify the severity of the situation here.” He says, “I will go make a potion for your sickness, but I can’t promise it’ll do much to the thing you ate. You will have to ride it out until it leaves your system.”

“What a fucking help you are.” Zoro mumbles and sits up again, taking his phone and finally leaving the bed.

“Son,” his mother follows as he ambles out of the door, “you still look very sick. Why don’t you sleep it off for today?”

“I’ll do that when I’m dead.” He tells her, “I’m still a Werewolf, an Alpha, and I need to check on my pack.”

“You’re not leaving this house,” she tells him from atop the stairs as she looks down the handrails, “if that’s what you’re planning.”

“Make me.” He dares her as he gives her one last glance, insistent and persistent enough to silence her, and then he walks away towards the direction of the veranda.

 

He calls back a few business partners and a few other coworkers, and then he calls Luffy; he’ll never admit this to anyone but he misses those little shits.

Luffy picks his call. “Mr. Ronoa,” he starts, his voice stoic, “good morning.”

Zoro sits at one of the benches and rubs the fatigue in his neck, “morning, how’s everything?”

“We’ve followed the usual plan,” he reports “watch out for intruders, scout the territory three times a day, and keep an eye on Sanji.”

“Good, you did well.” Zoro compliments and he can already picture Luffy wagging his tail at the compliment. “I’ll call again later.”

“Yes.” Luffy affirms, “I’ll call too if something comes up.”

The phone call ends with instructions from Zoro’s part and mechanical yeses from Luffy’s. He stretches more over the bench and feels the tank top sticking to his sweat, “great” he huffs, and after the sudden breeze that brushes by uninvited, Sanji’s face appears in front of him and he feels his stomach churn, not sickly, but lovingly. So without a second thought, he dials his number and waits.

“Stupid hairball, why didn’t you wake me up, I wanted to come with!”

Zoro can’t help but laugh at the sudden and unexpected burst of lexis, “good morning to you, too.”

A pause lingers before Sanji says anything, and during that, Zoro wonders if it’s anything he’s said, but Sanji speaks again, “I could be reading too much into it but your voice sounds off.”

At that, Zoro’s brow travel up and he curls his lips, impressed, “It’s because I just woke up, and I didn’t have my dose of caffeine, so, there you have it.”

“Wow, calling me first thing you woke up, that’s love right there!” Sanji chuckles, and it makes Zoro chuckle too.

“Except it wasn’t you whom I called first, it was someone from work.”

“You cherish me that much?” Sanji scoffs, “I’m loved beyond repair.” He says, “And you’d have lied about calling me first. You do realize I have no super hearing powers, don’t you?”

“What’s with the early banter though?” Zoro asks, relaxing more over the bench now that he’s heard his mate’s voice, “something good happened or what?”

“I don’t know.” Sanji drones, “what, your pack’s been tattling again?”

“You tell me.” Zoro dares, but it’s said playfully that it fills even him with astonishment.

“By the way,” Sanji changes his tone, “your mother…”

“She still wants to meet with you,” he tells him with a defeated sigh, “and that freaking rabbit is here too, it’s a living hell.”

He’s a reindeer.

“Is everything alright?” he asks, worry latent in his tone.

“Yeah, yeah.” Zoro heaves out a sigh, “we’ll be going over the situation later today, we still haven’t discussed it enough to come up with anything, but I’ll fill you in when we do.”

“That’s” –Sanji starts– “nerve-wracking.”

Zoro laughs and nods in agreement, “what about you, how’re you doing?”

“Ah,” Sanji says after a small sigh, “good, I guess, as good as I can be at ass o’clock in the morning, but thanks for asking.”

Zoro laughs again, he can sense his voice going deeper as the laugh increases, man he hasn’t laughed this good in a long time.

“Seriously though,” Sanji says with a subdued voice, “a lot has happened in the past two nights, and I’d like you to be here with me, especially right now.”

“I’d love that, you know I do.” Zoro leans over his lap, “but I have to deal with the situation at hand first.” He gives the sad news but covers it soon before it engulfs them both, “so what’s the big deal?”

“I’m not sure we should discuss this over the phone, um” he grapples for the word, “when are you coming back?”

Before answering, Zoro gives his shaky hand an examination. He uses that hand to wipe the sweat over his forehead, all are nasty indications to his unbalanced state, “I’m not sure,” he says, “it could be days.”

“Is it really that serious?”

“That and I have to deal with other stuff.”

Sanji prompts “Such as?”

“Nothing serious,” Zoro assures, “but I promise I’ll come back as soon as I’ve dealt with it.”

“Alright then,” Sanji gives in, and Zoro pictures him beaming at that, “I have to get ready for work. I hope everything works out quickly.”

“Yes, me too.” Zoro admits.

“Zoro?” He calls, and for some reason, it makes Zoro’s heart give the same loud thump, “are you sure you’re OK, because I'd swear I heard something wrong –”

“I’m fine,” he reassures, “desperate for some caffeine though, just who do I have to kill to get some caffeine!”

Sanji chuckles, “I can’t imagine you walking into some market, clawing the clerks for coffee.”

“I’m not evil.” Zoro says, “If that’s what you’re implying.”

“I never said that!” the other exclaims, “although, you can be very, _very_ evil when you want to.”

Zoro pauses for a moment before he realizes it was a reference to the night they bonded, he’d tortured him not letting him come a few times.

“What ‘you think about phone sex?”

“Are you sure you’re not still sleep-talking?” Sanji wonders aloud, annoyance in his tone.

“I’m serious.” Zoro says in his usually velvety voice, “I’m holing up here for a couple more days and maybe later tonight, we can –”

“I’ll bite my tongue before I even allow myself to even think about it!” Sanji huffs, the statement leaves Zoro utterly deflated, could his seducing skills be going rusty?

“That leaves no room for argument,” he states, “fine then, I’ll get back to the situation I have and I’ll call you later, to fill you in.”

Again, the phone call ends with byes and a bunch of ‘good luck’ wishes.

 

Later that morning, Zoro goes searching for caffeine in the kitchen, but much to his discomfort, the humid floor smells too strongly of raw meat and fresh blood. He tries to leave the kitchen before he gets another episode again, but it’s a little delayed of an action before he’s plastered to the sink, racking retches for several seconds as the maids squeak and scatter around him, handing him glasses of water and cans of energy drinks. His knuckles grow white the tighter he grips on the sink, when all of a sudden, his knees buckle.

“Young master!” and “call Mrs. Ronoa!” echo around him, loud and turbulent.

His mother soon storms in and aims his perched form, “can you walk?”

“Feet, weak.” he offers, panting.

“I’ll give you two more minutes, if you don’t regain your strength back in your feet, I’m carrying you myself.”

He clutches at her arms and the two of them lever up to their feet, “I’ll die before I let you carry me.”

“You idiotic son,” she smiles, “I carried you a bunch of times when you were a kid, I still can.”

“Yes, well” Zoro uses his other hand to support his weight on every immobile object in their way, “I’m not an invalid. I can still walk.” They cross the floor and the stairs, meandering their way to Zoro’s room, “guess I’ll have to heed your order after all.”

“Mothers know better.” She tells him with a proud nod. “I’m also tucking you in and I won’t take no for an answer.”

Zoro flops back into the sweet touch of satin and doesn’t even complain when his mother pulls the sheets over his chest, he can feel her cool hand pushing away sweat-soaked fringes from his face, and he can almost feel her pecking gently at his forehead, and for a moment, he doesn’t mind playing spoiled.

 

A few hours later, Zoro moves his head on the pillow, seeking the coldest part of it so he can soak in it, but all he feels underneath his skin is… fur. His eyes shoot open and that’s when he sees Chopper in his deer form, cradling his head over his lap.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” He jerks back, but it’s so fast it sends the room spiraling in front of his eyes, and he dips his chin, willing the feeling to go away.

“I was feeding you the potion.” Chopper finally says.

“You should have woken me,” Zoro reasons, “don’t ever do that again, understand?”

“It’s not like I vouched for it.” Chopper retorts, “Is it working yet –the potion?”

“There’s a foul taste in my mouth.” Zoro reports, “I swear, if you’ve fed me something funny, I’ll have bunny stew for dinner.”

“Relax,” the animal assures, “I made the potion from natural herbs. And with the right recipe, the mixture is hardly harmful.” He finally leaves the bed to sidestep it instead, “we’ll have to wait until it takes effect.”

Zoro relaxes, if only a little, and searches the room for a clock, “what time is it anyway?”

“Almost ten in the evening.”

His eyes widen at the news, “I slept through the entire day?”

“Is it working yet?”

“What?” he quickly realizes that Chopper’s hinting at the makeshift medicine, “No, I mean, I don’t feel anything in particular, if that’s any a good reference.”

“That suffices,” he says, “now,” he approaches the chair-less vanity table and lifts a large bowl that’s been replaced there. “I need you to eat this.”

“What’s that?” said male inspects the contents with a cocked brow, “another one of your deadly potions?”

“You’re not dying, are you?”

Zoro wonders if that’s rhetorical, but he soon ignores it when Chopper speaks on, “It’s soup.” He says, “Congratulations, you’ve officially become vegetarian.”

Zoro gives him a look.

“You haven’t eaten anything for three nights now, maybe Mrs. Ronoa is too soft on you but I won’t accept an Alpha dying on us from hunger.” He challenges as he pushes the bowl to Zoro’s chest, “you have to eat something, eventually.”

“I’ll make do,” he finally concedes. Damn it, he hated losing to the eccentric bunny the most.

Strangely enough, the veggie soup stays in his stomach, who would have thought, Zoro turning into a vegetarian wolf.

“OK, so I guess your medicine worked.” He says between his teeth because he so doesn’t want to give the deer the satisfaction.

“It would seem so,” he says, proudly, “very well then, I will take my leave and join the meeting your mother has already gone to.”

“What meeting?” He furrows,

“The meeting about The Law of Werewolves, chapter sixty, page sixty three?”

“Ah _hell,_ ” he swings his legs out of the bed and stands up, facing the deer as it slowly changes into its real form, “Why wasn’t I informed?”

“You were running a fever and your mother did not wish to disturb your nap.”

“A _nap?_ ” Zoro growls, “I was practically comatose for hours, and it didn’t occur to her that something’s off about that? Why didn’t she even tell me about this meeting, and who is she meeting with?”

“It is confidential.” Chopper provides, “even if it is about you, you are still not allowed to attend because you’re not the oldest Alpha in the family,” He explains, “but your mother is, and while it might seem like decisions are being taken without your consent, the case is entirely different.”

“Different, how?”

“When I said ‘meeting’ I overlooked the fact that it’s the first court session, witnesses are going to give their testimonies and your mother is there as part of the jury.”

Zoro lets out a hysterical laugh, “are you even listening to yourself?”

“Believe me, this is for the best.” Chopper says, gruffly, “you will be brought into a hearing, but only after they’ve collected the testimonies.”

“I’ve had it up to here with their meddling. I swear if it wasn’t for mother, I’d have killed whoever came between me and Sanji.”

“Which is why you’ll be brought into a hearing,” Chopper says, “You can give your own piece of the story then.”

“But mother is making a total fool out of me.” Zoro lashes out again, gripping for any chance to get the tiniest angrier, “she should have told me about this, it’s about me, right?”

“I know, but young master, you need to calm down.” Chopper tries to mollify the wolf growing angry, because an angry wolf is never a good thing.

Zoro responds by tossing the few perfume bottles and hair conditioners that were lined over the vanity table, and he punches the mirror a couple of times for good measures, and he actually ignores it when his fangs and claws spurt out.

“Young master, you _have_ to calm your anger!” Chopper follows behind, in part to pacify his temper, and in another to keep him from going after the maids that have frozen beside the door that’s been left ajar. Just as he readies his sharp senses for the disaster to hit over, Zoro’s phone rings and he spins towards its source, looking around searchingly. Chopper finally finds it and risks that one chance to guard the door when he leaves his spot and leaps to fetch the phone, Zoro is still working through whatever left of his strength to cause chaos in the room, items flying around and the glass coming to the floor in pieces, bloody prints everywhere. Zoro is working himself to exhaustion and there has to be someone to put a stop to it.

“It’s Sanji.” Chopper announces in his high-pitched voice, and momentarily flinches when Zoro swirls around, his facial features slowly returning to their human form, his claws and fangs coyly hiding under the skin, and he completely stills. “Young master.” Chopper tries again even if he's still perplexed, “Sanji is on the phone.”

Zoro walks towards him, and Chopper fights the urge to step backward because he isn’t weaker than the Alpha, and he certainly isn’t going to show him any signs of it even if there were any.

“Get out.”

Chopper hands the phone to the Alpha and immediately leaves the room, closing the door behind him and ushering all the maids and servants to go about their business. He’d seen Zoro angry before but never this… chaotically angry. But what amazes him more is how quick the name Sanji has quelled that buried anger, two syllables that prevented a certain disaster. He knows he shouldn’t, but he wants to study their relationship, he wants to study this deep bond and get some answers to the shelves of mysteries piling over his head memory. He just wants to know what it is that fascinates him about these two.

 

 

 

Zoro eyes the room with repugnance and disappointment, a few words here and there and he went berserk, throwing a random tantrum like some freaking kid.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Star Guest : Kuina as herself

 

 

He eyes the phone in his hand now that is still ringing, and finally relaxes, a massive throw back to the sphere of peacefulness from that first meeting –a secret sanctuary.

“Sanji.”

“It’s your fault,” said male balks, “it was all that talk of yours about phone sex!”

Zoro’s brows twitch a little, and he slowly makes his way to the tangled sheets on the bed to flop on, “what is it?”

“You made me think such dirty thoughts, I couldn’t focus at work, at all!” he groans, and because he poorly hides it, Zoro can hear the barely contained moan. “I can’t even believe I called you for this, Zoro. I’m so turned on, and nothing I do seems to put it down.”

zoro hums “Hence the phone call.”

“I hate you for this!” Sanji grits out, his voice breathy, and it ignites something within Zoro, “I so hate you for this!”

“No, you don’t.” Zoro smirks to himself because oh does it feel so good to have your mate this desperate for you, his wolf relishes this moment with all its glory. “Sanji, tell me what you’re wearing.”

“Go die.” Said male bites out, “you did this to me!”

“What ‘you wearing?” Zoro enunciates, doggedly, and he knows this tone will give him what he wants in a matter of moments, “Sanji.”

“Dark jeans and a frigging grey T,” he huffs, “happy now?”

“Did you touch yourself?”

“What the hell are you asking now, are you _drunk_?” Sanji says in an accusatory tone.

“Hey, you’re the one who called saying he’s horny.” He teases, but it backfires and he gradually grows blindsided by arousal, “damn it, Sanji, wanna come to you, wanna see you spread out on the bed for me.” He whispers, and he hears Sanji’s stifled groan. “Wanna bend you over, lick you open.” His voice is a subdued echo in the quiet stillness of the room, and he wonders if Sanji can tell that he’s planning to interrupt the stillness very soon, “I want to taste you.”

“ _Zoro..._ ” the other finally moans aloud, “oh _fuck_...”

“You like the sound of that, Sanji?”

“ _Yea._ ” He breathes out, “Keep doing it…”

“Want me to eat you out ‘til you’re begging me to fuck you?”

“Oh, yes...” the rustling from the other end of the line increases, and Zoro guesses his mate is taking care of _the erection_ himself, “Zoro, I want to suck you.”

The statement sends a jolt to Zoro’s cock and he slowly slides his hand under his boxers to fist it and ease its throbbing, “how badly do you want to take me in your mouth?”

“Wanna put my mouth on your cock, and slowly glide up and down. I’ll take you deep in my throat and drink you, Zoro. Just hearing you breathe in my ear is making me _so_ horny.” He gasps, breathlessly.

“You ‘going to put me over the edge...” Zoro whines, rubbing his cock, “Sanji, take off your jeans.”

And judging by the additional rustling, Zoro can tell his mate is undressing just like ordered. He can hear his muffled moans and it gifts him with a picture of Sanji sucking on his finger, two fingers maybe; he’s such a prude, this is the farthest he’ll go.

“Suck harder.” He demands again, “do it long and good.”

“Mmm...” Sanji starts, and languorously pulls the fingers with a noisy _pop_ out from between presumably wet lips.

Zoro cuts him off with a suppressed grunt, “wanna rim your ass,” the entire conversation is turning him on, he nearly comes in his sweats like a teen, “fuck, it’s gonna drive me crazy!”

“Oh _God_ , Zoro, do it more.” Sanji says over his moans and gasps. “Love the feeling of you inside me, Zoro. Can’t forget your cock.”

“Gonna ram your ass so hard, gonna fuck you _so good_ ,” He urges, enjoying the sticky sounds from both lines. “You got some fingers in that pretty ass hole? You pampering yourself like it’s my dick up your ass?”

“Three. I got three inside.” Sanji rasps, “Oh, God…” he yelps in a high pitched whimper. “I want more. Being ridden by your dick is the best. Want you to slam into me ‘til I bruise like last time!”  Sanji’s breathing is still labored.

Zoro feels like his cock is going to combust, all thoughts of reason flee his mind. “Wanna sit you on my dick and watch as you bounce away,” he sighs contentedly, hand jerking his cock off, “want to see you so bad, want to see you come by my dick alone.” He feels the heat encroaching on his body, he feels depraved and so horny. He’s never been one for dirty talk in the bedroom, but Sanji always brings out something else in him.

Sanji gasps out loud, and Zoro assumes the prostate is getting worked over. “Zoro,” it almost sounds like he is sniffling, “Want you so bad, want you to come inside me. Fuck me hard and leave me wet and fucked open. Come on, Zoro, do it!”

“Shit,” it’s a wonder he doesn’t shoot cum on command, especially when it’s Sanji, the guy he’s pinned for for ages, begging him to. “Gonna drill my cock in your ass so deep it will remember the shape of me–”

A loud cry cuts him off –enclosed with lust but muffled with a twinge of pain: it’s the best thing Zoro’s ever heard in his life. His cock throbs as blood rushes to and fro, and he arches his whole body back against the satin sheets, sending his cum with a strangled groan.

 

“Zoro?” A hoarse voice pants, “ugh damn it, my voice, _not again!_ ”

Zoro chuckles tiredly, the afterglow so overwhelming, “it’ll be back to normal by tomorrow, don’t worry too much.”

“Darn, I can’t wait ‘til you’re here.”

“It’s only been two nights and you’re already a mess.” He teases, smirking to himself.

“Here’s an enclosure, you said you’d call, but you didn’t and I started thinking about you and the talk about phone sex, and the rest you can guess.” He chuckles, “I know I was against it, but I wish I weren’t such a prude. I admit I enjoyed this.”

Zoro feels a fleeting happiness, but it’s short lived as someone opens the door to his room and walks in, flaunting and snobbish, he’d recognize this person anywhere. “Sanji, I’ll try to finish my work here as soon as I can, meantime, stay out of trouble, or better yet, stop causing trouble.”

“What, you ass!” The other hisses.

“Night, Ji.” And he quickly hangs up, not wanting this person’s coming words to be heard, “took your sweet time.”

“Now _that_ was hot,” she drawls, winking at him provocatively, “missed me, little brother?”

Zoro looks up, narrows his eyes in some effort to not look abashed, “sis.”

He is sometimes very embarrassed by his sister being proud about the terrible fashion icon that she is. He can’t say his taste in clothes covers it, and even his taste in color has brought him nothing but disappointed stares. Kuina is, for lack of a better word, worse.

First, she has that habit of calling her brother ‘little brother’ –with that haughty southern dialect, because in case she hasn’t noticed, that little brother has a name and he likes it, thank you. Second, and again, her awful sense of fashion, because between winter coats trimmed with a downy fox tail –which, by the way, makes her look like some single bureaucrat in her forties– and the large belt buckles that totally shout ‘cowgirl’ when she is a Werewolf, and this mini musquash jacket is by far the worst of her collection.

“As a matter of fact, I didn’t.” He tells her, flatly, “and if you’re here to grate on my nerves, then just follow back the way you came in.” He swings his legs out of the bed, ready to prop up, “nice” –he eyes her jacket with distaste– “fur” saying so, he turns his back to her, striding towards the bathroom and closing its door once he's inside.

“Little brother,” she beseeches, “ignoring me now, and what the hell have you done to the room?”

The sound of water splashing echoes across the tiles, and Kuina curls her hand around the knob of the door and pushes it open, meeting the hot steam with foggy glass, “I’ve been hearing interesting things about you.”

“I’m sure you have.” Zoro says over the noise of the spray, it’s barely inscrutable but she hears it anyway and has her supernatural powers to thank for that.

“A vessel, at first, and then a witch” she says, “what next, a bloody ghost?”

“Watch your mouth.” Zoro snarls deep in his throat, and it immediately silences her.

“So you really mated, I see.” she nods to herself in acknowledgment, and relaxes when Zoro finally closes the tab and walks out of the tub, leaving wet footprints after him, and she realizes she’s looking at him with stupefaction. “Zoro, you smell different.”

“So what, you two made a habit of sniffing me now?” He raises a skeptical brow at her.

“I wouldn’t exactly say that,” she drawls, “but it’s permeating the air, not thoroughly, but you know my sense of smell is the sharpest between all the Betas.”

He ignores her for now because there are no quirky comebacks for that ready up his sleeve yet.

“Well,” she shakes herself out of her daze and moves out of the way when her brother walks past her. She minces after him like a mannequin with her jacket fallen off one shoulder, “you’ve grown fast, sport.”

Zoro slides the door of a closet open to peck out a towel, and then he wraps it around his hips and finally, _finally_ , spares her a glance, “what’s _your_ deal?”

She furrows at him.

“You ruin our business in Ohora, but instead of contacting me about it, you go along with mother’s plan to switch your post to South Kuraigana,” he seethes, “what, is this some sort of game to you now?”

“Don’t patronize me, little brother.” she berates, “I admit that was a little slip-up –”

“A slip-up?” he echoes her, “Are you out of your god damn mind?”

“So what, I don’t notify you of the shares’ decrease and you all go lashing out at me?” she snorts, her eyes blazing yellow, “you probably don’t know but we’re the wealthiest in the country, doesn’t it occur to you that maybe a little slip-up here and there is nothing compared to your little fiasco with Rona’s family?”

“If you want to act like a smart-ass with me, at least do it right.” He tells her, shaking his head sadly, “what happens in the family stays in the family, but when it concerns our business overseas, lashing out at you doesn’t even begin to touch it.”

The two can feel the proverbial rivalry bolt sparking like fire cracks between them. Zoro is the first to turn away though because he needs to put some clothes on before all this breaks into a sudden combat and he’d have to fight butt-naked.

She follows close behind, at least with some audacity to look sheepish about the whole mishap. “So,” she starts–

“Don’t.” he cuts her off.

“What? I haven’t even said anything.” She whines, looking fleetingly astonished.

“I’m not going to talk about him, and _that_ is _it_.” he says with a tone of finality, but the way he’s grunting while wearing his grey sweatpants makes him sound indifferent.

“And how come you told mother?”

“Honestly?” he finally looks at her and speaks firmly, “I wasn’t planning to, but mother is not the type of person you want holding a grudge against you, is she now.”

“True that.” she nods, “but everyone is talking about it. And it hurts when you come to realize you’re the only one left out, and I’m you sister. I’m supposed to know.”

He lets out a puff of breath and walks past her again, adjusting his black T from the hems, “he is not some subject of gossip” –he walks out of the room, hating how she’s tailing him still– “just because you’re my big sis doesn’t mean I’ll grab a chair and start the idle tittle-tattle to humor your ego.”

“Oh, my God.” His sister gushes, and he reels around, “you’re really serious about him!”

He rolls his eyes, faces away and descends the stairs, “Do I look like I mate with men for kicks?” He inquires, “Of course I’m serious about him.”

“Then why didn’t you bring him with you?”

He decides against telling her how he really feels, but he also knows she’s learned most of his secrets and has even guided him through some, and vice-versa. She might come across as nosy and talkative, the two qualities he dislikes the most, but he’d never deny her support which has boosted his self-confidence back up when it’d reached the bottom. Damn it, he hates his past.

He quells.

“You know how mother tends to treat the people I go out with, even though it’s her who sets it up in the first place.” He licks his lips nervously and nears the door to the veranda, “she’s judgmental, and to be honest with you, sis, Sanji is not someone I chose.”

Her brows fly up with shock.

“I felt it.” He confesses, fervently, now that they’re seated outside on the swinging bench side by side, he knows his sister is going to get it out of him even if it takes her the next decade, and he doesn’t exactly have that much time to spare. “I felt him calling out for me, he probably –no, he definitely has no idea about this, but I’d wanted him even before we officially met.”

“Zoro,” she sounds spooked enough to pique his curiosity, “do you know what that means?”

“I thought about it,” he swallows, and looks away from her intense gaze, “but that’s just a myth. I think it’s all happened because of his blood.”

“I think not!” She suddenly levers up to her feet, looking at her little brother with something akin to row astonishment, “Zoro, I can’t believe you–” she gushes, bereft of words, “You’re…” she sighs, happily, he can tell, “it’s finally happened, and no, it’s not just a myth, he’s not just a mate, he’s your–”

He hides his face, doubling over, “Don’t you dare say it!”

She finally calms down and sits back down next to him, “well, have you said anything about this to mom?”

“I hinted it.” He says, hands flopping to his lap as he looks up.

“But damn it, Zoro” –she chuckles, gives a dazed head shake– “you lucky son of a bitch.”

“Yea well,” he rubs his nape, the action rough, “believe me, I’m not, where do you think mother is at right now?”

She lands her worried eyes on his, “No way!”

He nods, affirming her doubts, “at first, they sent Chopper over to my house, but I kicked him out and–”

“You did what?” She doesn’t look very surprised though as much as she looks entertained, “Zoro, you beautiful master piece, you’ve outdone yourself. I’ve always wanted to give that bunny a few rough kicks on the butt.”

“He tends to work on people’s neurons.” He sighs, finally relaxing and leaning back; he’s found an ally, at last. “I’m surprised you two didn’t meet on the way, he said he was going to join mother at the court.”

“So it’s really happening, little brother?” she sighs, almost defeated.

He raises his brows and turns his eyes to look somewhere beyond the dark sky, “If the elders decide –”

“They won’t.” His sister says over him, and her eyes don’t even flinch as they glint at the glimmer of what the stars decided to scatter on the night sky. “You found him, and although I don’t know what kind of person he is, or if he’s a danger or not, because you know, it’s our kind of world,” she finally looks at him, “I still think you have the right to keep what is rightfully yours, in this case, your mate.”

He’s never, not in his wildest dreams, thought his sister would support this one, but despite the crazy Beta that she usually is, her love for her younger sibling out-stands everything, “Are you sure?”

“I’m always sure when it comes to my little brother” –and if he hasn’t changed into this bloody-headed jerk that he is now, he would have allowed her to ruffle his hair– “But I still want to see him.” She beams.

He faces away.

“Come on, this is obviously not some puppy love,” she bumps his shoulder, smirking at her own insinuation, “and I didn’t mean to eavesdrop earlier but it’s kind of hard to ignore a voice sweet like his.”

“How is that different from eavesdropping?” He fumes, but it’s all brotherly and he knows more allies means more trouble out of his way.

“Hey, sexting is no joke,” she says firmly, and for a minute, he remembers why he hates this shameless side of his sister, which also reminds him of a particular Beta among his pack, “you going at it like rabbits, huh?” she grins dopily, “watch out for hearing herpes though” she puts her palm on her chest, “it’s nasty.”

“Shut up.” He finally laughs, and after she laughs too –apparently liking her own joke, the two fall silent, and Zoro waits until the perfect moment brings itself about to name his gratitude, “you’re amazing, sis, thank you.”

“Does that mean you’ll let me go see him?”

Before he’d even utter a sound, his right kneecap spasms and jerks his entire body down towards the floor, he grimaces in pain and clutches at his knee.

“Zoro, what the hell?” His sister hovers, confused and worried.

“Help me back to my room,” he says between gritted fangs, “hurry!”

Kuina does as asked, she hauls him up to his feet and he lands wrongly on his right feet, letting out a roar in protest. She furrows at his struggle and slumps most of his weight on her, urging him to lean against her and to leave it to her, but through the scurrying and bumping into furniture, Kuina can’t deny the whimpers of pain Zoro keeps letting out –he is in pain and that much has made itself clear. Walking back into his bedroom, she re-positions his weight over her side and scans the room, “it’s chaotic.”

He wheezes suddenly and pulls himself off of her, “I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s better if you stay away from me.”

Kuina knits her brows at him and her eyes demand questions, “Zoro, what–”

As if to prove a point, his entire leg convulses and thanks to their hearing powers, they hear the bone crack, loud and clear. Zoro falls to the ground, curling in on himself and whimpering, “Get Chopper.”

“I can’t leave you like this!” She protests, kneeling beside him in a swift. Little does she know that was a huge mistake.

Zoro grabs her by the collar of the stupid musquash fur and flings her to the farthest of the room, bares his fangs and a deep growl flares up from the depths of his throat.

Kuina looks up, baffled. She bounces back from the impact of the hit and quickly props on her haunches, crouching like the trained Beta that she is. Zoro is still nursing his leg as it breaks again, this time, a few glitches she can handle after they figure out what this is, but his ankle twists and turns a few degrees before another crack is heard, and he slumps down, withering with pain. Kuina risks a glance to his eyes and almost cries at the lost and scared look in them, he may be an Alpha, but he’s still her little kid brother. He probably tossed her away like a scrunched paper just to get her out of harm’s way, Zoro would never harm a soul, and she knows him more than anyone.

“Zoro, howl...” she demands, “you need to _howl_!”

As a reply, his other leg now decides to join the show as it spasms and breaks loudly, offering only agonizing pain in return, so much for that.

“Crap!” Kuina finally names the severity of the situation and fumbles in her pockets for her phone, confetti when she finally finds it and hits the digits, viva la phone. While waiting for it to connect, she notices the novel feeling creeping up behind her. She slowly looks up into the chattered mirror of the vanity table and gasps at the pair of red eyes glaring at her from right behind her. She tries to leap away from his grasp but he’s faster so his grip does actually manage to get hold of her hair, he pulls her up as she flails and tosses, “let go of me!” she yells, eyes turning yellow and threatening, but who is she kidding, her brother is a natural born Alpha. Trying to get away from his grasp is like, and she’s not grappling for words for this by the way, it’s like getting your wool socks stuck to the burs, not only is it challenging, but, ah, annoyingly so.

She stares with trepidation as Zoro lifts her by the hair a little higher to the level of his red eyes, and then he raises his other hand, sharp claws spurting out from underneath his fingertips, and how he is standing on his shattered legs is a life mystery, really. She uses that as leverage as she slides her foot and kicks his, resulting in his unbalance. The grip on her hair is still tight but she claws his forearm to get it loose, although it’s hardly a success at first, but he lets go of her eventually.

“Take that.” she harrumphs, spitting blood to the side. Mauling doesn’t seem like a plan, but if that can keep her brother from literally going berserk on her, then so be it. She throws the jacket away, finally, thank God, and swiftly flips her lace trim dress top from the bottom, making sure it’s not too tight so it won’t get in the way, her fashion sense isn’t so deadly after all.

Zoro heals from whatever broken bones he had and supports his weight on his legs, albeit wobbly, and he lowers just a little to snarl at his sister.

“Now, that’s rude,” she shakes her head, “this is what I get for worrying my brains out for you, or for promising to get you through the court?”

Zoro lunches towards her in a delayed speed because she predicts it and moves out of his way, thus making him land on the armoire and crafting a hole in its doors, splinters of woods and glass shatter to floor, adding one to the already sabotaged room. He clambers up again, wobblier though, he darts forward and she estimates his speed wrongly as he manages to crease her flank. She falls against the items scattered on the floor with a loud thud but quickly scrambles to her feet, alerted at the sight of her little brother coming right at her again. She crouches defensively but he uses the momentum to push her, she gets tossed against the wall, slams against it and slides down with a whine that’s barely stifled in.

She prays this will be over soon because having her Alpha brother kill her is so not cool.

Also, if this is just a phase, if this is not him having control over himself, then if –when he wakes up, he’s going to feel very guilty, so she can’t allow him to kill her, werewolves or not, they’re brother and sister before anything else.

Someone grants her salvation, she thanks her ancestors. They must be watching out for them.

Zoro goes utterly still, swaying side to side every, his fangs closing on his bottom lip and drawing more blood down his jaw.

“Z-Zoro…?” She slowly sits up, tilting to try to get a glimpse of his face.

“Fucking cut it out.” he croaks, “lock me up before I lose control over my body again.”

“The confinement room?” she starts “but, Zoro, I’m not going to do that to my little brother!”

“Just hurry!” he bites out, eyes glowing red and turning dark again.

She finally heeds his order, prior to her fear that somehow made her legs all Jell-O-y, she helps him into said room and rests him over a cot.

“You have to tie me up.” He peers up at her, his fringes soaked with sweat and his eyes filled with fear.

How can she tie him up when he's looking at her like that?

“I’m just going to close the door and call –”

“I told you to tie me up!” he snarls, and she flinches, “I’m sorry” he readily apologizes and faces the other side, “just, do it, don’t infuriate me any more than this.”

Without listening to anything else, or rather, without making any more protests, she ties his wrists and ankles to the bed, and stands by his head, looking down at him worriedly.

“Get Chopper, but don’t allow anyone in. You close that door, you make sure it’s done, understand?” he instructs, pulling against the ties to make sure if they budge, they don’t. Well done, sister.

“Hang in there,” she vouches, “I’ll get help.”

She is about to leave the door when Zoro whispers two words that eventually send her sliding down the now-closed metal door, crying.

“I’m sorry.”

 

**TBFC!!**


	20. Chapter 20

 

 

Chopper and Mrs. Ronoa arrive to the mansion in the same car, and they find Kuina squatting at the front gate, waiting with her head on her hands. Mrs. Ronoa scurries towards her daughter and lifts her up to her feet, meeting her red-rimmed and puffy eyes. “What happened? Where is he?”

“Mother, it was horrible.” she breaks into a sob, “he lost control and I tried not to hurt him. He remembers some of it.”

The three walk back inside towards the confinement room, and it’s really strange how none of them comments on the fact that they actually have a room like that inside the majestic mansion. You will have to walk through a long corridor, right to an old bookshelf, pull down the largest tome with the only golden Hanja characters and the shelf is going to slide open. The golden characters sort of scream obvious if a thief was to risk it, but who in their right mind would want to slide a shelf open and walk into a dark basement surrounded with concrete walls and steel bars?

As the three continue to walk, Kuina shudders involuntarily at the stench of something dead in there, but when they near Zoro’s cell, she becomes less tense. Although he warns them against opening the door, Chopper mumbles an incantation that turns him into a cloud of dark smoke, and then he infiltrates into the room/cell through the cracks and finally transforms back into his deer shape inside the room.

Zoro opens his heavy lids and his eyeballs roam around searchingly, until he sees Chopper. “I knew it smelled like Limburger, so that’s what you smell like.”

“I leave you for one hour and you already sabotage the entire house?” The other accuses.

“I think you’re overselling it a bit,” he chuckles, “the roof is still up there, isn’t it?”

“You’re missing the point.” Chopper sighs, “This has gone for far too long, I’m afraid I have to resort to the elders again.”

“No, no.” Zoro shuffles against the handcuffs, “if they learn about this, they’re definitely going to use it against me in the court, what, you want to hand an evidence of my current unbalance fresh from the oven to _them_? You know damn well how much they want to cut the Ronoa’s to shreds!” He fumes and pulls against the chains tying his wrists.

“I know, and like I said earlier, I only serve the eldest Alpha, that still stands.” Chopper bends his ears forward just like a cat, “but if we want to figure out what is causing this, we’ll have to resort to someone, eventually.”

“I’ll fight it.” Zoro says in his deep voice, “whatever it is, I’ll fight it with all I have, and if I don’t come out of it alive, then let worse come to worse.”

“You stupid son,” Mrs. Ronoa berates from outside the door, and her daughter interjects “how about we don’t talk about death, we’re going to deal with this together, OK?”

He chuckles deeply, and gradually, his lids fall close.

 

********

 

Kuina sits on the armchair next to her mother’s, she lets out a loud sigh and relaxes in her shorts and baggy top. “So –” she starts, glancing sideways at her mother, “you guys already talked about Sanji?”

Her mother only nods, her eyes transfixed on the portrait of her late husband.

“And what do you think?”

“Do you know that he hasn’t called at all, not even once? Now, call me a peeping tom if you want but my son’s welfare is my first concern,” she finally looks into her daughter's eyes, her own igniting with a hint of blue, “I don’t care if they had an agreement, I don’t even care if it was Zoro’s idea that he doesn’t call, but he comes across as an ill-mannered brat, and pardon me if I say, I don’t like him and I don’t want him to be my son’s mate.”

“They already mated though.” Kuina shrugs slightly.

“Doesn’t change the fact that I don’t like him.”

“How about this,” Kuina tries again, narrowing her eyes and repositioning herself on the chair, “Sanji called a few hours ago, but you weren’t here so you couldn’t have known, thankfully, there was me, who, by good luck, walked in on a very sexy phone call.”

Her mother’s brows twitch, visibly affronted, and it makes Kuina laugh, “I certainly had no need for knowing that, thank you.”

“Maybe.” Kuina shrugs, playing with a lock of her hair, “but you were making assumptions, and since the opportunity helped, I was at the scene when Sanji called, so I’m just letting you know.”

“I still don’t like him.” She looks at the fireplace now, a scowl growing evident across her forehead.

 

Going back in time, Kuina’s always seen how her mother favored Zoro over her, even now, she can’t help but care a great deal for him, overlooking all the evidences that might show her that Sanji is actually a pretty good match for her son. But the truth is, she just doesn’t want anyone to snatch her son away from her. After the late Alpha’s violent death, Mrs. Ronoa built a great brick wall between the two of them and the rest of the world, and, now, Kuina thinks that’s just her mother babying her brother, but if they all choose to face it, Zoro was an adult who had to find a mate. Sooner or later, they’ll have to allow someone new in their life. “But Zoro does.” Kuina relents, a vague look in her eyes, “and like it or not, you have to accept that.”

She doesn’t even ask about how it went back at the court, it already seems like they have enough on their plate and bringing that up would only work on their anger genes.

 

********

 

The night grows darker, and as Kuina meditates in the growing silence after her mother bid her goodnight, she finds that no one is above scrutiny, and certainly, one day, she will have to lay out her cards as well and talk her mother into letting in another male Beta into their lives. But for now, she’ll devote her time and strength to her brother only. It’s his story that’s being written and worry about the unpredictable can only grow your brain cells old. From her perched from on the armchair, she can hear a sound growing, and between the insistent owl hoots and mosquito whines, she can finally differentiates the whimpering cries coming from the confinement room. She unseats herself and dashes towards the said room, already finding Chopper and a few servants at the metal door, roaming purposelessly.

“How is he?” She demands, slowly nearing the door as they clear her way.

“Not good.” Chopper informs, “His bones are working themselves for some odd reason. So far, he has damaged epicondyles and Humerus’, and can’t say much about his Radius’ and Ulnas.”

“Speak a language I understand.” She chides.

Chopper sighs and looks up at her, “in other words, both his arms are completely shattered.”

Her eyes quiver, “same thing happened to his legs when I bound him to the bed.”

“Alright, so it started as simple appetite loss, and then the vertigo and the shaky legs,” he recounts, thoughtfully, “the vomiting only started recently.”

“Wait, vomiting?” she almost laughs has it not been for the urgency of the situation. “He’s an Alpha werewolf, he doesn’t just get sick!”

“Good point, thanks for your input.”At least he compliments her for the effort through sarcasm, and then he paces more, “we didn’t wish to raise any alarm flags because I thought he’d ride it out very soon, the infection was supernatural of course so to rid him of it I made a potion, it worked, only temporarily it seems.” He gasps, “now wait a minute” pausing, he swivels around, “the infection started from his stomach, and although it sounds bizarre, it might have moved to his legs, causing the fractures, and then to his arms.”

“That doesn’t add up, what ‘you trying to say exactly?” She prompts, impatiently.

Chopper looks delighted for a second before he furrows again, “I think I know what we’re dealing with here, but I need to make sure of something before I make any assumptions.” He tells her, “Keep him from hurting himself. I’ll bring the cure with me.”

Just as Chopper vanishes into thin air, Zoro’s cry of pain cuts through it and it sends shivers down Kuina’s spine. Instead of Chopper, she paces beside the metal door, twining her fingers together, feeling a huge tide of incapability swamping over her as she listens to her little brother’s bones cracking without a pause. At times like these, it really sucks to be a Werewolf with no healing powers.

Mrs. Ronoa is soon by her side, dragging her long nightgown, and shaking her head disappointedly.

“Chopper said he’d bring the cure.” The daughter informs with a tone of childish excitement.

Her mother’s eyes glitter with hope, “did he say what might have caused this to my son?”

The other shakes her head, “he only recounted Zoro’s symptoms and came to a conclusion on his own.” She says, “But mother, why didn’t you call me when it all started?”

“And then what?” she challenges, “You’d be doing the same you are now.”

“At least it’d feel like I’m being there for my brother!” she says with reproach.

“Knock it off you two.” Zoro says, tiredly.

The two women attach themselves to the door like magnetized objects.

“Zoro, you alive then.” Kuina jokes, but secretly breathes out a sigh of relief.

“Unfortunately.” he huffs, and it makes the other laugh, albeit faintly.

“Hey, if you don’t come out of this alive, I’ll kick you in the ass; also, Chopper said he was going to bring the cure, so just… hang in there, OK?”

“What other choice do I have?” he scoffs, “this sucks.”

“Yea, having to feel every bone in your body shatter isn’t supposed to be fun.”

“Son,” Mrs. Ronoa calls out, very gently, “you need to eat something; your body needs it.”

“I doubt my stomach will agree with that,” he tells her on a humorless snort, “it’s fine mother, I don’t feel hungry anyway.”

“Has your body stopped self-destructing?” she asks, curiously now.

“Good way of putting it.” he hums, “yea, for now,” he reports back, “it’s already started healing itself, the bones are a bitch though.”

“Mind your language, kid!”

Kuina laughs and can hear her brother laughing from inside the room, too.

“Not to ruin your fun, ladies” –he croaks out, wearily– “but I’m badly hurt and I know I’m gonna pass out very soon.”

“Alright, just rest up.” Kuina says hurriedly, “catch up on the sleep you couldn’t get and we’ll wake you once Chopper arrives with the cure.”

When she gets no reply back, she listens in on Zoro’s heartbeats and smiles very slowly, “he’s out like a light.”

 

********

 

Kuina thrashes around on her bed, insomnia now, really?

She finally decides she’s had enough sleep for one night. Even those few hours are enough to re-boost her werewolf engines. When she sits up, she sees the first rays of the sun sneaking into her room through the curtains only to be dimmed. A sweet smell slides under her nose, it’s nothing like anything she’s scented before, it’s unearthly, yet it freshens her, and it feels as though it connects her to every corner of the world deemed unreachable.

She hurriedly takes care of her morning routines, changes into a new pair of jeans and knitted sweater, and does her hair into a messy bun.

When she walks down the stairs, she realizes that during her muddled haste to go to check on how her brother is doing today, she must have excluded all the voices in the world that would convolute the situation more, because, standing between her mother and Chopper in the living room, there’s a handsome young man who looks up at her with delight.

 

********

 

Kuina lingers by the last step of the staircase, taking in the tremulous smile, the golden hair parted in a well-styled curtain haircut, showing the tiny mole over a symmetric brow, almond-like eyes with big lashes like a deer’s. Now she takes in his tall form, porcelain skin that’s made more evident by the bleu flannel and light washed jeans.

Despite the years she’s spent breathing, not once in her life did she scent something this unearthly novel. It’s something so close to musky aroma and fragrant Magnolia, the latter is most likely just an ultimate ingredient in the perfume he uses, she presumes, but the musky aroma, that she can’t honestly tell where its source is coming from. One thing she knows for sure, the smell she’s scented on her brother and was merely faint then, its source is definitely this guy.

The man’s smile grows brittle now and it downs on her that she’s taken her sweet time examining him from head to toe, probably coming across as wary and untrusting by doing that, deciding on questioning him this time around instead. She finally smiles back and strides towards him like the terrestrial half creature that she and her family ar;, she curses herself inwardly for not dressing properly for this occasion, but her set smile hides what she is really thinking. “You must be Sanji,” she confirms, momentarily inhaling the aerial aroma permeating around him.

Said man stretches out his hand and nods, “and you are?”

“Ronoa Kuina.” She takes his hand in a firm grip, shaking it while eying the tattoo over his other wrist since Sanji left his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. “Zoro’s older sister.”

“Oh, your name rhymes.” He points his two indexes in opposite directions, “I like the sound of that.”

She realizes her lips are parting into a wide smile, she quickly faces her mother, “I assume you’ve already met mother, a big fan, I tell you.”

He chuckles awkwardly and quickly scratches his temple, “I bet.” he mumbles, now turning to look at Chopper, “so, where’s he?”

Chopper opens his mouth to reply but Kuina cuts him off.

“I thought you said you’d bring the cure.” She furrows, apprehensively.

“He _is_ the cure.” He nods towards Sanji, eyes looking down disconcertedly.

Kuina glances over at her mother’s unreadable expression and immediately knows that whatever her mother is thinking is not anything good.

“So when you say cure, what exactly do you mean?” Kuina has to ask this before someone’s neck snaps.

Chopper heaves an aggrieved sigh, “I’ve studied his condition, and giving the current circumstances, I can clearly say he’s a borderline case, Ronoa Zoro may get better or he may not, but those are chances I’m not ready to take when I already know there’s a cure out there.”

“A cure for what?” Sanji demands, his eyes adamant.

The rest look at Chopper with enormously frightened faces, and although, God, he decides against telling them, he eventually quells when Sanji urges him with his arching brows.

“Ronoa Zoro is turning.”

“You already said that before, but you didn’t exactly stick around to explain.” Kuina smiles thinly, “so what is my brother turning into?”

“I’m not saying any more than this until I confirm it.” He says, curtly, turning towards Mrs. Ronoa to bow his respects and then continue on ahead the general direction of the corridor, motioning to Sanji to do the same.

“I don’t think it’s such a good idea.” Kuina adds briskly, rushing after the two walking ahead, “He may not like you bringing his mate here, you know how he gets furious when we go against him.”

Chopper continues to walk ahead, assured that the rest, minus Mrs. Ronoa, is following closely behind. “I wasn’t trained to consider what makes your little brother furious,” he says deeply, “he’ll learn how to let others do their job.”

A part of Kuina wants to take Sanji by the hand and wheel him around toward the living room, pour him some tea and have a little chat with him, about the phone call maybe, why not, but the other part fights against it because her brother comes first and if Sanji is somehow able to heal him, then she’ll let Chopper work. She knows it’s against her better judgment, but she listens in on Sanji’s heartbeats, fleetingly loving the steady and strong rhythm, reminding her of a time she used to act a lot more like a big sister, teaching Zoro how to hunt the prey his growing body then could take head on.

“You look nervous.” Sanji says to her, his voice soothing and it eventually calms the swirling twit growing like a disease in her chest.

She looks up at him, meeting his bewitching eyes; it sinks down then why Zoro likes the lad. She smiles inwardly but apparently it grows on her lips too, “I’m worried what Zoro is going to say after he learns you’re here, he probably already knows, you being here is the last thing he wants.”

Sanji’s brows fly up under his fringes, “Whoa, no need to sugarcoat it.”

“Let’s just say,” She grapples for the proper word, now looking back Sanji after she’s found it, “Zoro hates to be seen looking… fragile.” He knits his brows, showing his worry. She sighs bitterly and looks ahead, “You’ll see.”

 

The three walk through the dark entrance of the sliding shelf, which leads to the basement cells. Sanji eyes the place with unfathomable emotions, and then he wipes his sweaty palms onto his jeans and swallows the unease which has formed into a large pile of saliva inside his gorge. They walk him towards Zoro’s cell, but because it has a metal door, Sanji can't figure out just what exactly they are here for.

Chopper finally turns around, studying the other two with yellow eyes. “I’m opening the door.”

“Wait, what?” Kuina dashes forward, “we didn’t agree on this, no one is going in there.”

“Do you want your brother to get better or not?” He reminds her with his cynical voice.

“I do, but I’m not risking him snapping my neck after he does. It’s dangerous inside, and I’m not letting Sanji around that time bomb, _alone._ ” Her gaze shifts between Chopper and Sanji, hoping the scary scenario would fruit something close to hesitation.

“Is he tied?” Sanji asks out of the bleu, his eyes examining the firmly locked door of Zoro’s cell.

“Well,” Kuina clears her throat, “I tied him down to a bed, but I don’t –”

“Great then,” He shines up with a beam, “I’ll be fine, you have nothing to worry about, really.” He tells her, now looking towards Chopper, “You can open the door.”

Said rabbit does and Kuina only watches with quivering eyes as Sanji walks into the room, the door slowly closing behind him, hearing its lock rattle loudly makes Kuina’s body tremble as well. She wants to open it again and grab Sanji out of there, drag him if she has to, they can always find some other solution and some other cure to her brother, it doesn’t have to be like this, but looking into Chopper’s determined eyes, she quells, resting her hopes on Sanji to save her little brother.

She’ll stay by the door, and she’ll put her big-sister instincts on hold as the Beta takes over, ready for, God forbid, any call for help.

 

 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An early update for finally hitting 300 Kudos! Thank you everyone~

 

 

Sanji walks into the darkened room, and for once, he is utterly out of words; yet, he knows what he is going to find here is not something very appealing. Kuina’s hesitance and mainly evident obstinacy asserts it. Speaking of her, she looks a little like her brother; she has his smile, and she’s quite beautiful and never mind Mrs. Ronoa and the sassy rabbit, she’s quite understanding and easy to talk to. He would like to have a chat with her some other time, but only after he deals with the matter at hand. He finally sees his mate, confirmed, tied down to a steel cot as the stench of blood and sweat bores into the walls. Sanji sags against one of the said walls. He fights the bile rising uninvited because after only one glimpse at Zoro’s face, he is not sure whether his mate is alive. But learning of their abilities, he knows they’d have dealt differently if they heard Zoro’s heartbeats stopping, which tells him that Zoro is still very much alive and asleep in spite of whatever slumber he’s chosen for himself. Sanji scrubs his face with a sweaty hand, and he eventually steadies himself on his feet; this isn’t the time to make the drama about him. Apparently, the Ronoa family needs him –his _mate_ needs him, and although it’s taken a while to finally come true, he reminds himself that he can finally be of use.

“Hey.” He walks cautiously towards the bed, “Quit playing possum.”

Zoro stirs in his sleep. His eyes quiver under his lids and finally flutter open.

Sanji feels himself swallowing on a dry throat. “Zoro,” he calls almost in a whisper and huddles closer, “You’re up.” He sighs when he sees Zoro looking up at him and switching to look over his shoulder at his surroundings, “You hurt anywhere?”

“What are you doing here?” He asks, and much to Sanji’s surprise, Zoro’s voice has turned raspy and frail, and right now, it sounds uncannily bitter.

“Farming.” He replies curtly, hoping it’d squeeze a laugh out of his mate; he’s never failed to entice laughs from him by being sarcastic, but his hope slowly crumbles to pieces when Zoro’s face grimaces, obviously in pain, and he looks away, facing the wall. “Zoro, what’s wrong?”

“Get out.” He grits. “I didn’t ask you to come here.”

Sanji’s stiff shoulders slacken and he finally relaxes. He takes a private moment to analyze the room since his eyes have adapted to the blackness surrounding them, and he spots a chair. He springs forward to drag it next to Zoro’s bed, resting down and lounging like the way he should.

“So, care to tell me what happened?” He starts, crossing his arms behind his head, “Why are you tied to a slab playing Regan McNeil?”

“Who brought you here?” Zoro’s voice falls deep a notch. He is still not looking at the direction of his mate.

“Question dodging!” Sanji gushes, shaking his head admiringly. “I love a callow game.”

Zoro finally looks t him through slits, “Going for fancy words, smart, aren’t we.”

The hope that has crumbled before gathers together in one loud shout of joy as Sanji sees his mate finally interacting like before, he leans forward, his elbows propped on his lap, “shut up.” But it’s said through smiling lips. “By the way, I’m so going to get you for my sick leave, consider it a little token for hauling me up all the way here to save your bacon.”

Zoro scowls and looks up at the ceiling, “was it that stupid Jackalope who brought you here?”

“What a fitting moniker!” Sanji gushes more, but halts when Zoro glares at him. “I’m here and I ain’t leaving so just get over it.” Sanji slumps back, sinking in the chair. “So, care to share?”

“Don’t have time to sit and exchange travelogues.” Zoro yanks the chain on his wrists, and scrunches his nose, “I’ve rolled with the punches and I’m taking care of it.”

“And you’ve done a rather botched job of that, I say.” Sanji scoffs. “Zoro, you can’t even pull a fast one on me. You are literally chained to a bed, you aren't going anywhere." He smirks teasingly, "so how about you drop the act and tell me what’s really going on?”

“How about you get your ass out of here before something bad happens?” Zoro bites back with menace.

“Zoro” –Sanji smiles like a Cheshire cat– “already flinging me sexual innuendos?”

“Guys!” Zoro calls out desperately, “Get this clown out of my sight.”

“Hey, now, that’s rude!” Sanji retorts. “And I already said I ain’t going anywhere, so suck it up. Here” –he skims through his pockets and comes out with a shiny object– “have a toffee, no? It’s chocolate coated.”

Sanji hears a feminine giggle coming from outside the door and he cocks his head, “did I say something wrong?” He switches to look at Zoro, incredulously.

Said male only rolls his eyes and shakes his head, ‘save me, stupidity kills’ is written all over him.

“Hey, Mr. Bunny” Sanji calls out, and again, he hears a louder chortle and immediately realizes that nobody calls the rabbit bunny except for him, and it probably gave Kuina the giggles. “This pigheaded is refusing to explain what’s going on, how about _you_ tell me since you’ve been so kind to drag me here against my will.”

“I told you all about his sickness,” The rabbit complies, “It hasn’t stopped, even now we can hear some of his joints disconnecting. I figured maybe you being there can put a stop to it, but apparently, I was wrong.”

Sanji nods and curls his lips, impressed.

In contract to him, Zoro props up on his elbows and frowns, a fine sheet of sweat glittering over his forehead, “You’ve drawn your own conclusions about my condition, and based on that, you flew to hump him up here, and what’s more, you locked him inside with me when we already know I might lose control in any second and hurt him?”

Sanji’s brows twitch and his fingers ball into fists.

“You have to understand.” Chopper says, “Your welfare is my priority. It is my job to attain a balanced life for you–”

Zoro cuts him off, “Kui, you knew about this?”

Kuina falls silent; whether she denies it or not, it still doesn’t change the fact that she didn’t do anything to stop this idea that’s bordered on madness and Sanji is inside working on a time bomb’s nerves.

“I can’t believe this.” Zoro huffs, shaking his head frantically, “I can’t believe any of this.”

Sanji wets his lips and levers up to his wavering legs; his hesitant hand slowly pierces the air to land on Zoro’s shoulder, but the latter hisses –stopping his hand midair– a hint of red tides within his sharp eyes.

“Don’t touch me.”

Sanji retrieves his hand as though he’s been burnt, he looks with utter horror as Zoro’s body gives a violent jostle and he hears that sickening sound of bones cracking. He recoils to the wall behind, planting himself against it as his eyes take in the sight of his mate withering in agony and wriggling under the ties, perhaps in an attempt to escape pain as well; it only proves useless as the ties don't give.

Sanji feels wet and hot tears burn his eyes and roll down his cheeks, he hears the fuss going on outside the door. Kuina wants to open the door and get Sanji out of there, but Chopper comes between her and the door, not allowing her in –Sanji truly dislikes the rabbit now.

A whimpering sob leaves Zoro’s throat and it tears Sanji’s heart into shreds, just what is that he can do to stop him from hurting, just _what?_

He walks towards the bed again, but more confidently this time, and he nears it until he feels his mate’s heat flowing over onto his own skin. He eyes the face scrunched in pain, the unruly hair and the white knuckles tightening their grip on the sheets. He lets out an eased sigh, relieving his body from any tension threatening to cause him cold feet, and then he brings his right hand up –a sudden image of Zoro hissing at him and ordering him not to touch him flashes before his eyes, but he ignores it. This is Zoro. The last thing he wants is hurt Sanji –his mate.

The thought gifts him with enough belief as he rests that hand over Zoro’s left cheek. Zoro, though, doesn’t quit squirming and tossing, and Sanji works that hand to the hot cheek, twisting the angle of his pinky to ghost it over Zoro’s ear. He slowly slides that hand now to Zoro’s neck, inwardly wondering if the heat Zoro is giving off is anything but normal.

“Calm down.” He whispers. “Zoro, there’s no need to get worked up now, you can relax.” he said, a smile plays over his plump lips as Zoro stirs under his cold touch. “Whatever is happening to you, we’ll figure it out, okay? But right now, I need you to calm down.”

Zoro squirms more, grunting with the effort. He’s hungry, he’s cold and he’s hurting, the last thing he needs is someone barking orders at him –the Alpha. But try as he may, an inner part of him surrenders to the soothing tone and the gracefully cold touch, and gradually, his breathing evens out and he drifts off to a restful sleep. Sanji lets out a sigh and closes his eyes for a moment, complimenting his courage for not fleeing right through that door.

“Or not.” Chopper hums. “I guess I was right after all.”

The door finally opens and Kuina walks in, “You actually lulled him to sleep, that’s remarkable!”

Sanji retracts his hand and scratches his nape, “Yea well, this happened before so I’ve got the ropes now and I know my way around this.”

“Lucky us.” she shakes her head, eying the man again as if he’s just made a camel vanish.

“I –um,” he starts, feeling uncomfortable under her searching gaze, “I think I should clean him up, and get some food into his system too. He basically looks like a corpse.”

She finally looks away at her brother, noticing the stench of blood and sweat makes her scrunch her nose. “I’ll have someone bring some food in, but I doubt he’ll eat it. Last time he tried, he threw everything back up.” She reports, “Also, you see that square slit on the wall over there?” She asks, pointing at the wall behind Sanji, said male looks around and nods, “If you press it, it’s going to open. There’s a bathroom inside.”

“Awesome.” He gushes, scurrying to press the said wall and it creaks very lowly as it slowly opens. “Holly awesome!”

Kuina studies the childish glimmer in Sanji’s eyes, and she feels her insides brimming over with guilt. She swallows her hesitance and straightens up, “Thank you.”

Sanji reels around, the glimmer turns into a reassuring glance, and he beams like the idiot he is, “he’s going to be fine, I promise.”

She disagrees. No, she used to, but now that she’s witnessed how Sanji has hushed her brother to sleep with no casualties to speak of, she allows herself to trust those words. Her brother is going to be fine because Sanji, his mate, is here to look after him; she likes the sound of that.

“Great!” She breaks their eye contact. “I’ll bring him some clothes?”

She receives Sanji’s nod with one of her own, and finally, she leaves the room.

Sanji eyes the door as it slides close, and then he switches to look at Zoro, “Your sister really loves you. Big sisters are awesome.”

Zoro only drowns more into sleep and Sanji, perhaps for the first time in his whole life, feels like a complete idiot talking to himself.

He spins around towards the bathroom and goes in to inspect it for the things he needs, basically a washcloth to dampen. Lucky for him, he finds more than a handful, neatly folded inside a wardrobe. He takes one and lays it under the faucet, waiting on, he peeks at his reflection on the mirror and what he finds disappoints him.

It’s true that when Chopper appeared at his working place, rumbling on about a sick Zoro, who, by the way, is a werewolf that doesn’t just get sick to begin with, Sanji didn’t wish to believe him. And that was yesterday. Maybe if he believed the deer then, he’d have done something sooner. He should have believed Chopper.

As if regret fixes anything.

He closes the tap and returns back to Zoro’s side, taking in the wheezing Alpha, he shudders at the negative thoughts that want to crush him, physically shaking himself out of it. He folds the wet cloth and puts it over the cot. Now, he works on removing Zoro’s top, but the tied hands restrict the movement and Sanji allows the hems to reach Zoro’s chest and rest there. He almost feels sorry for Kuina since she went out of her to bring him fresh clothes which he isn’t going to be wearing anytime soon. He uses the cloth to wipe the skin, so very gently it surprises him.

Zoro doesn’t even stir.

Sanji eyes his mate with admirably loving eyes, his unoccupied hand brushes the sweat-soaked hair away from Zoro’s forehead and it rests at the crown of his head, petting it unconsciously.

 

Kuina walks in, followed by a shy female maid dressed in a black dress with white apron and cap, and white clogs, your typical clichéd maid of a mansion saga. She bows slightly when her eyes meet Sanji’s, and he bows back, smiling in return. The woman places the tray in her hands over an abandoned table in the far corner of the room and quickly excuses herself, scrambling to leave the room in a hurry.

“I don’t suppose he’s gonna wake up any time soon.” Kuina theorizes, “How about you take some rest now, they’ve prepared a room especially for you.”

Sanji tightens his grip on the washcloth as his eyes roam over his mate.

Kuina’s shoulders slump and she tilts her head, “I promise I’ll notify you if he wakes up, I can hear his heartbeat from a square mile away you know.” She grins, “Come on now, sport,” she ushers, “let’s get you rested as well.”

Sanji complies, glancing over his shoulder one more time before finally leaving the room and locking it with a pair of trembling hands.

 

*******

 

Later, Sanji finds himself in an outlandish room, decorated and furnished with the majestic feats; that’s luxurious life for you. He sits down on the mint-colored coverlet, pretty feminine taste if you ask him but he’s not going to throw a tantrum so they’d change the quilt. The large bed doesn’t even creak beneath his weight unlike the grumpy creaking tape of a bed he owns back in his apartment. Sanji is amazed his bed’s H stretcher hasn’t given out yet. He locates a pile of folded clothes inside the storage headboard, eyes it and decides they’re wearable. Maroon sweatpants and a plain white T. It’d have been a lot worse, really, he’s grateful for whoever picked these out especially for him, because, whoever you are, you, man, have excellent taste.

A knock on the door depletes his thoughts to zero, and he ruffles his hair, croaking out a nervous ‘come in’.

Kuina walks in, dressed formally in a black and white o-neck, polka dotted pencil dress, her hair styled in a loose wavy up-do, giving space to her pearl earrings to emerge.

Sanji relaxes on his heels, smiling more as Kuina walks towards him until she is only a stride away. “You look really beautiful, wouldn’t mistake you for a werewolf.” it escapes him.

Kuina chuckles embarrassingly and nods, feeling her face flush. “Don’t be too sweet now. I don’t want to steal you from my brother.”

Sanji laughs jointly, unaware of the glimmer in his eyes that has managed to make Kuina’s stomach somersault. “He’s taking it on the lam at the moment, please try again.”

Kuina relaxes as she laughs more, her curly fringes fall down her cheek but she shakes her head to push them back. “I know my brother can be a colossal pain in the ass, but can you watch out for him until I come back?”

“Totally.” Sanji furrows. “You know, he _is_ my mate, taking care of him is a given”

She nods deeply, biting her bottom lip as though she’s too deep in thought, “Chopper’s gone AWOL, _again_ , and mother’s taken off somewhere and she won’t be back until tomorrow. And I hate to leave too but Zoro’s abandoned the bank for three days now and someone has to make sure business is going well.”

“I figured much.” He admits, “I know it’s a lot of work, but I was wondering if you can do one more favor, for me?” He activates his puppy eyes of doom and Kuina finds herself agreeing, “The pack’s been acting a little reckless lately without their Alpha, and I was thinking maybe you could go check on them and see how they’re doing?”

“I will.” She smiles assuredly, “If you need anything just call one of the maids, they’ll get the job done. Also, don’t act reserved, you’re at home so take it easy, and call me if anything happens, am I clear?”

After taking his consent, Kuina leaves the house in her car, heading towards the direction of Yecheon.

 

The night falls and Sanji ends up in the kitchen stealing French fries, one of the maids with a flabby stomach and chubby cheeks that flush red with the effort of moving the heavy muscles shows him inside as the steam of the cooking condenses the wood. She’s got herself a promotion to higher levels of Besties when she steals some French fries and shares them with him with delight and the two titter jointly. He eats his dinner by himself in the large living room, and it’s a fleeting thought when he eyes the handful of forks and spoons and whatnot, and slumps on the chair, feeling out of place.

He picks the glass of wine because, dude, expensive wine! If you buy this in public, you’re definitely ending up robbed and with a few broken teeth. Then, he makes his way towards the fireplace, looking fixedly at the 27 x 37 inches portrait of a rotund, scowly-looking man that has Zoro’s nose and lips, and it dawns on him that he’s never heard any of the Ronoa’s talk about _the_ father. And the portrait over the fireplace tells him this man is no longer around and the family pretty much prefers to keep it under lock.

Despite their colorful eyes that demonstrates different levels of easy angry, and that’s level one which happens when a werewolf, especially a Ronoa, is slightly mad at decisions taken wrongly. And then there’s medium angry, and that happens when a Ronoa, especially a Beta, can’t stand their ground and have a difficulty doing what they’ve been told. And then there’s super angry, reads level three, and that ensues when an Alpha, especially a Zoro finds out that someone else’s been touching what is his, take it his pack, his family or his mate.

All of that aside, it actually leaves him with one surprising discovery.

The Ronoa’s, no matter how angry they are driven to become, the one thing they share in common is their hard penchant for not opening up to express their feelings. And if you ask Sanji, he finds it exclusively adorable. That or Mrs. Ronoa plainly hates him and she’s made it clear this morning when she ignored his extended hand, showing him out flat that she doesn’t, not in the least, like him. And when he saw Kuina walking down the stairs, he actually felt delight for she had saved him from the awkwardness of the situation.

Never mind any of that, Sanji doesn’t hold grudges and this little ‘awkward’ incident this morning is going to be forgotten as soon as the night rolls into morning. What he can do now, though, is the only thing he got dragged here for: look after Zoro. He sets himself to the task, but who is he kidding, really, he only convinces himself he has to look after Zoro because what other excuses would he have otherwise to see his mate. The thought makes him smile vaguely as the shelf slides open for him, welcoming him.

It’s not that he feels out of place amidst all the swank and bling, it’s just he only feels at home when he is by Zoro’s side.

 

And the comfort he feels once he seats himself on the chair beside Zoro’s bed proves it.

He flicks the lamp’s switch on and opens the book he’s stealthily taken from the sliding shelf to pass the time.

“The Tale of Sukhyang.” He reads the book’s title with a large smile. “This story has always reminded me of my mom, I can’t say why though” he glances over at his Zoro who is still asleep, "I don’t suppose I ever told you about her. Well, she was no control freak that’s for sure. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not insinuating your mother is. Anyways, mom, she was like a fairy. Now, don’t laugh at me, but when I was a kid I’d look up at her and see her warm smile, it made me fearless.” He sighs wistfully. “There’s this one time on the first day of school, mom accompanied me right to the door but I couldn’t walk any farther, so she crouched in front of me and asked ‘what is it?’ and I couldn’t hide my embarrassment, I told her ‘what if I’m the only tallest kid in class?’ and her words still echo in my head to this day–”

“What did she say?” Zoro’s deep voice cuts him short, still hoarse from disuse.

Sanji lifts his eyes to meet his mate’s, and he beams, “She said ‘be Omnimon’.”

Zoro knits his brows, “is that a Pokémon?”

“Pokémon was released in 1997, you idiot.” Sanji stands up, walking over to the table where the bottle of water is sitting rested beside a cup. “No, it’s a Digimon actually.” He swivels around, “the strongest ever created.”

Zoro’s shoulders tremble as he laughs, “At least now I know where you got your sense of humor.”

Sanji slides his hand under Zoro’s head, slowly lifting him to bring the cup to his lips, “but at that time, her words really struck me. I was a kid, had serious insecurities.” He watches as Zoro drinks the water greedily and relishes it damping his dry mouth. “But when she told me to use my height to defend my schoolmates and protect them, I just, I think that was a major boost for my self-confidence. I grew up wanting to protect those around me, however few they are.”

Zoro drags his mouth away, looking up at the other, taking in his flushed cheeks and his brilliant eyes. “Tell me more.”

Sanji’s brows fly up, but he makes no effort whatsoever to remove his hand from under his mate’s head, “What do you mean?”

“I want to hear more, want to learn more, about you.” Jerking his head, he signals to his mate to move his hand away.

Sanji complies as he retrieves his hand and sits back on the chair, putting the cup down beside his heel. “Don’t be disheartened, I want to know more about you, too.” He states boldly, his smile still in place. “Tell you what, you won’t get a two-for-one deal out of me. You have to tell me something now, it’s your turn.”

Zoro shakes his head dismissively, one side of his lips twists up in a derogating manner but it’s harmless, “It’s pretty weird how one could get this whole inspirationally philosophical speech from The Tale of Sukhyang.” He looks up at the ceiling, “Fine, then.”

Sanji nibbles at his bottom lip.

“At two years old, I had my first kill.” He starts, “it wasn’t really a kill, we were hunting in the woods, my sister was teaching me how to heighten my senses, and I remember jumping a baby deer, digging my tiny claws and fangs into its neck, feeling its blood burst on me. I looked up at sis, she was really proud.” He smiles longingly, “then they taught me how to skin it and I put its eyes in a jar as a souvenir, courtesy of nature.” He looks back at his mate now.

Sanji is watching the other with horror and revulsion at the same time it’s almost comical, “That’s sick.” He groans. “Dude, you’re disgusting.”

Zoro cocks his head, “I don’t understand, I thought we were sharing memories.”

“Yea, _memories,_ ” He reminds him, throwing his hand in the air distressfully, “not some psycho butcher’s biography!” He sighs, “You really need to socialize more.”

“I guess it’s different from humans.” Zoro theorizes.

“So grateful for small favors,” he looks heavenward and then back at his mate, “how ‘you feeling now?”

“Like I was hit by a plane?”

Sanji chuckles, “better than a whole planet.” He looks around and then at Zoro, “want any food?”

“Nah,” he shakes his head lazily, but settling his eyes back on his mate’s. “I wanted to see you so much.”

Sanji fumbles with the hem of his shirt, rolling it and squeezing it, anything to avoid Zoro’s sharp eyes. Leave it to Zoro to say the sweetest things with a face you can lie with, “Huh” he snorts, “That’s why you called to ask me to come over.” which, of course, he didn’t. Sarcasm, Sanji, you nail it.

Zoro wets his lips and looks at the ceiling for a moment, and then back at Sanji, “I had my reasons.” He offers, and waits until Sanji’s eyes look back into his to talk, “I missed you a lot.”

Sanji’s Adam apple bobs, and he finally lets go of the hem, darting his right hand to rest it over Zoro’s, squeezing it instead of the hem, “I know.” He whispers, his thump stroking circles, loving the radiating heat.

 

 

It’s very late in the night when Zoro begins to stir. At first, it starts as a helpless jerk like the one Sanji’s seen earlier this morning, but it soon turns into a violent convulsion, and Sanji is quickly on his feet, examining Zoro with perturbed eyes.

“What, what, _what_?” He urges, at a loss of words. “Zoro, wake up, you’re probably just having a nasty dream.” Said male squirms and one of his ribs do a massive twist until it cracks, and the sickening sound makes Sanji cringe inadvertently. “Zoro,” He calls out, desperately, “Just tell me what to do. I’m out of options here man.”

As if hearing his prayers, Zoro’s eyes shoot open and he comes to with a large gasp. Sanji straightens up more, as if that’s going to fix the problem, and he tilts his head, meeting his mate’s stare head on. “I heard your ribs crack, please tell me I imagined it.”

Zoro wheezes and shakes his head, and just as the two of them fall into a rhythmic inhale and exhale, assured nothing else was going to take them by surprise, another rib cracks and Zoro discharges an animalistic growl from within his throat.

Seeing his mate withering in pain devastates Sanji, and he finds himself leaning in to brush his lips with Zoro’s. He takes in the feeling of chapped lips trembling against his, and it motivates him to properly capture them; all the while, feeling his own salty tears coming between his and Zoro’s mouths.

It only takes a few seconds until Zoro’s body relaxes, and Sanji pulls away, yet not breaking eye contact.

Zoro’s eyes roam in his for a moment before he slowly falls asleep, but really, no body sleeps from pain if they don’t completely faint. He censors it with ‘passing out’ because Zoro would sound like such a ‘wuss’ denying it.

Sanji rests his hand over his mate's hair, tenderly brushing it away until he notices Zoro’s chest rising and falling in an even rhythm. He grabs the chair closer so that he can rest his head on the bed beside his mate’s tied hand.

 

And only when he hears some far off chirps of merry birds that he realizes he’s fallen asleep some time when he was reading.

He looks over at Zoro first thing he wakes up, the peaceful face signifies he’s still deep in slumber, and then he stretches his limbs, cracking his sore neck and shoulders with a wince.

“I reckon we warned you against getting in by yourself.”

Sanji flips his head towards the door, the tips of his hair brush swiftly over his sparkly eyes. He sees her then, Kuina, graceful in a khaki, off-shoulder sweater and high-waist shorts, her hair tucked in a bun.

“I couldn’t sleep without my pillow.” He says, sealing it with a dismissive shrug. When she narrows her eyes at him knowingly, nearing Zoro’s bed, he asks, “So, how was your trip?”

Kuina eyes her brother for a moment, and then she heaves out a sigh, “Awful. I had to go through the complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a glimpse on the regular accounts. It seems like my dear brother here instructed them not to allow me full access into the vault’s files.” She shakes her head, “and to make matters worse, I had to go pay the pack a little visit, but they didn’t take to Zoro’s absence well, so” –she throws her hands in the air fleetingly and then replaces them on her hips– “I brought two of them along.”

“What about their school?” Sanji knits his brows, but the surprise is evident in his eyes.

“Don’t know, don’t care.” She shrugs. “The persistent lads insisted I bring them along, too attached if you ask me.”

“Who came?”

“Keimi and Nami,” She offers, “they’re upstairs, and I told them this area is off limit, so, um, you can take your time.” –Whatever that means– “Alright.” She snaps her fingers to change subjects. “Let’s wake him up. He needs to get some food in him.”

“I’m up.” Zoro croaks, staring at the ceiling like it’s going to fall on him. “Kuina, I swear you’re digging your own grave, who told you to bring them!”

“Look,” she puffs out her chest, “We can argue about this later, right now, you need to eat.”

Zoro’s eyes settle on Sanji’s as the latter nods although he knows Kuina is overcompensating for whatever brotherly defect she thinks she’s performed, “she’s right, man, you gotta eat something.”

When the maids prepare a breakfast consisting mainly of fresh fruits, it makes Sanji laugh to see a werewolf turning into a frigging fruitarian. He helps his mate up by bracing his arm under his nape, and after grueling wait and curses being mumbled from Zoro’s part, he finally eats as his mate hand-feeds him. Bonus when the food stays in his stomach this time.

“Zoro,” Kuina starts. She’s leaning on the wall opposite said male so the other two can sit comfortably within her sight range. “I know what you hate most is when others see you like this, God knows I know.”

“Damn right I don’t, but you still brought them here.” He grouches, looking at her.

“But, Zoro, the people here are not just anyone.” She finally adjusts her posture, eyes switching to look between her brother and the man seated on the chair watching the quarrel going on like a tennis match. “Keimi and Nami? They’re part of your pack, a pack _you_ created. I’m telling you, they were scared out of their brains for you. You can’t just keep them out, you have to tell them what’s going on even if it kills you so, and they’ll do their best for you; that’s what packs are there for.” When the other two don’t say anything, she adds, “and Sanji is not just anyone, he’s your _mate._ ” She punctuates it, on cue. “Believe it or not, hiding things from him is not going to serve any purposes, especially not for you.”

Zoro looks up at the ceiling again, and Kuina watches as Sanji dips his chin, and then lifts it, looking back at his mate.

“Nefertari thought you were pregnant, but never mind that, that’s just some chick I met who duped me into going along with her reading my future, should have probably called someone on her, charged that fraud with crappy predictions scam.” He said, heading no attention to the puzzled faces gawking at him. “And if that’s not much of a kick to the balls, I had zombies popping up on my threshold, but hey, it’s the new world order and this is my life now so we said hi and I made him tea. Oh, did you know that an extra dose of Adenosine can slow the electrical conduction in the heart, thus slowing your heart rate which would make you look dead; that was probably the crux of his plan, a fake-out that would cause a visceral reaction in my bones. It doesn’t stop here though, the punch line was actually Robin going behind my back to train _with_ the zombie; so much for sharing and caring.” He chuckles to himself since he finds it pretty damn funny.

“What the _F_ are you talking about?” because _language, Zoro_.

“I also thought he was pregnant, just so we are clear.” Kuina bows her gaze when Zoro glares at her; keep your comment to yourself if you want to keep that little head of yours in place.

“Three days,” Sanji says, the faint traces of his earlier smile are slowly fading away, and it alerts the remorse in either of them. “You’ve been gone for three days without prior notice, without a word or a phone call. You left a bunch of teenagers in a furry disguise to deal on their own, and it never occurred to you that maybe you should’ve picked up the phone and told us what’s going on because we were officially scared out of our minds for you, and me? I was terrified out of my _wits_!”

Zoro whips his head towards his mate. “OK, first, the pack bends, they have to, it’s part of practice.” He said, “And second, I didn’t get much of what you just babbled on about and no, I certainly don’t want to know, but you gotta know that I can’t just pick up the phone and tap into my sob story in some silly ‘hey, guess who’s having his every bone shatter to pieces, it’s fun so grab your corns and come over, front-row seats granted’ line. And I’m going to kill that damned rabbit for bringing you here, that’s for sure.”

Sanji chucks his head rearward with shock, “I’m your _mate!_ ” He reasons. “And that’s some broad-brush approach to putting it by the way.”

Zoro lets his head flop down back on the pillow, “Let’s not go down the chick-flick road, that’s dangerous.”

Sanji briefly quells, knowing how much Zoro averse to talking things out; it’d probably serves as his stop sign, but they’re laying out embarrassing shit so they might as well drive down the chick-flick road on 60.

“OK, Han Solo, then we should go under full sail before we settle this dispute with a few punches, that seems to do the trick when it comes to you.”

Kuina actually smiles at their banter, it’s so… natural, she thinks.

She admits that this is the most she’s seen her brother interact in years. Oh no, she doesn’t think he has completely left his shell, but he’s doing a marvelous job trying to.

“Let’s brass some tacks, Sanji, okay? The last thing I need is you giving me lessons on self-expression. Now you only need some heartfelt song playing in the background with sentimental schmaltz.” He groans. “It’s not that simple. I can’t just show my weakness to you guys, I’m an Alpha. Alphas are stronger than this. _I’m_ stronger than this.” He faces the wall, probably wishing he’d skip his skin and not say these lines.

Sanji’s hand goes up and rests gently on Zoro’s, the latter turns his hand on its back to hold his mate’s in a tight squeeze.

Kuina looks away, not wanting to invade the few temporary private moments they share now and then.

“We’re here now,” Sanji says, “We’re here for you, like we should have when all this started.”

Kuina looks at them again.

“But if we want to get anything done, we’ll have to interrogate the bunny first, he seems like he knows something,” He suggests, and it’s met with agreement from Kuina’s part, “any idea where he is?”

“Right here.”

Sanji squeaks like a preschool girl and looks down at the floor, finding the deer looking back at him with such menace. He also notices how Kuina and her brother don’t even glance at him but at the door instead, and so he does the same. Seconds later, and Mrs. Ronoa saunters in. She eyes everyone in the room, her glance alone drags her daughter’s and Chopper’s down to the floor; such a presence, Sanji thinks, no wonder she is the strongest Alpha.

Maybe what Zoro feels towards her isn’t necessarily anger, but overdrawn respect, and a need to show his independence in more than a way to her since he is a born Alpha, who already has his own pack and mate. The thought makes Zoro flush for a second but it goes away when Mrs. Ronoa nods at her son’s direction, “we need to talk.”

The other three evacuate the room and wait outside, and seeing that standing by the door isn’t exactly going to achieve anything, Sanji suggests going up to greet the girls since, added to that, Mrs. Ronoa seems intent on talking business when her son who is still tied to a clot, breaking.

He sets his plan on motion, finally meeting up with Nami and Keimi in the living room as they have themselves seated at the large table, going gonzo and gorging down food with vocalized wistfulness.

“Bribing you with beef skewers, aren’t they.” He teases the two girls as they turn their heads towards his direction.

“How’s he?” Nami asks, not giving two hoots about the worry swirling in his big eyes; actually not giving a damn about how Sanji is doing, typical Nami attitude.

Sanji eyes the two girls bitterly as they get up to their feet, and he looks away, because telling the pack their Alpha is suffering wasn’t exactly a thing he sheers on for. “Um,” He resumes, rubbing his nape and resting the other hand on his hip, “I’ve seen worse.”

“Is he going to bounce back soon?” Keimi knits her brows and he feels for her because he wishes he knew.

“It’s not like they keep me in the loop, Kei, so my guess is good as yours.” He shrugs, dropping his arms at his sides. “Mrs. Ronoa is having a talk with him right now, it seemed serious.”

“Guys,” Nami hisses, “I can listen in on their talk, which ought to give us some answers since nobody is willing to.”

Sanji waves a hand, “That’s impolite.”

“But not illegal,” she fires back, “Don’t worry, I’ll take the blame, just” –she eyes him for a second– “Stay still, okay?”

 

*******

 

“Mother,” Zoro drawls, “Something has you worried.”

His mother removes her long furred coat, discarding it over her son’s legs and aims to seat herself over the only chair in the room, but she halts halfway, scenting in the air something which by the looks of it doesn’t crack her top 10 of favorites, so she pushes the chair away, and straightens up on her heels. “Zoro, I recall you coming through that door, coated with a stench that I could not quite determine,” she sidesteps the bed now, “but that has changed after I made that little trip of mine to the Black Quagmire.”

Zoro’s eyes widen at the revelation for he is grandly familiar with the stories of the Black Quagmire, or the Black Swamp, if you will, a place which has earned its name by the several deep and dark swamps surrounding it in such unnatural way; a cause of a magical warding spell that mainly entails a certain amount of unseen barriers, consisting of boggy lands that masquerade the bottomless holes.

Many of the beasts he knows of refuse to approach that area, and the fact that his mother has been there this morning alarms him with that the reason is anything but trivial.

“Yes, I sought The Oracle.” She nods and adds “After bidding the Jury to postpone your Hearing of course,” she looks into her son’s eyes with a strange glimmer, “I had to.”

“And why is that?” He shudders.

“I spoke to your mate this morning.” She rolls her eyes fleetingly. “Well, not exactly spoke, but I had a chance to... study him, so to speak.” She chuckles by herself.

“And?” He prompts, accustomed by now to his mother’s prejudices.

“I took a glimpse of the tattoo over his wrist, and believe it or not, I have seen it before.” She says, her eyes narrowing, warningly. “Do you know what Ouroboros stands for?”

“I’ve heard bits about it.” He shrugs, and when his mother remains silent, he adds, “I’m not quite sure why we are having a discussion about a mythical symbol now of all times, but I will play along. The Ouroboros, which is still a myth by the way, symbolizes several feats, self-reflexivity for one. The Dragon or Phoenix eating its own tail depicts constant re-creation and/or the eternal life. That is pretty much it. I mean, all what I have on me.”

She blows a sigh, perhaps inwardly amazed by the breadth of her son's knowledge.

With her you never know which is which.

“That or Alchemy.” She hints, admiringly.

“Say again” –Zoro props his head– “why in the world are we going over this?”

His mother lets out a full bodied sigh, switching to look elsewhere but her son, “Some ancient Alchemists considered the Ouroboros the foundation of Alchemy, its basic mandala, if you will,” she starts, “but...” She tilts her head, “The devil is always in the details.” She sighs again. “Some immoral rebels sought relief and liberation, and what is more, they employed new evil methods of Alchemy in medicines, tested some experiments to achieve immortality, or resurrection.”

“The eternal life.” He finishes for her.

He doesn’t have to know _half_ of those words to rule it she isn’t really full of shit. So maybe the Ouroboros isn’t merely a myth, maybe Alchemists really did what his mother is telling him they did, but what is this has got to do with any of his sickness or his mate.

“I always knew you were quick on the uptake.” She nods only once, and it’s affirming. “The tattoo over that man’s wrist is a sigil, an Ouroboros sigil.”

After a few beats of complete silence, Zoro snorts, “Come again?”

 

*******

 

Nami and Keimi gasp at the same moment and it alerts Sanji to a certain degree; his options have narrowed down to the lesser of the two evils, either he walks away, get squat about what’s really going on in this house, which is not really what he wants taking in the circumstances of his mate, or he can listen in on Mrs. Ronoa and her son’s talk since that seems to be the only way to getting any answers in this house, but it’s still rude, and not to mention uncivil.

But the expressions these two girls have on their faces are priceless and the need to know what can possibly cause that is slowly growing out of control.

“I’m so going to pay for this.” He mumbles, agitatedly. “Okay, hit me.”

Keimi smirks self-satisfyingly, it’s her time to shine and brash, he guesses.

 

***

 

“You must have already noticed the deformed symbol on his wrist, have you not?” She doesn’t even ready herself for his reply as she ventures on, “I went to The Oracle especially for it. I actually showed it to her by linking her Memoire to mine,” she gushes, “It is confirmed, that tattoo is a sigil.”

Zoro shakes his head dismissively, “I don’t care about some stupid tattoo. I don’t even care about what The Oracle says about it,” his formality going forgotten by now, “and that _man_ has a name.”

“I know he does, but I do not even wish to breathe in the same air he does.”

His face spins to her, “What was that?” He dares her.

She stands her ground, meeting his furious gaze head on, “Your late father never really cared for decorum, but he never failed to uphold his marital oaths by showing disrespect to me.”

“ _I'm_ disrespecting _you_?” He exclaims. “That's rich, tell me, how am I exactly disrespecting you?”

“Call it love, or whatnot, God knows I believe in no silly romance, but I know it’s only frivolous indiscretions that bound you to that man. I would never soil my bedding with human stench, nor would I ever mate with a misshapen creature.”

“Mother,” Zoro’s voice falls deep warningly, “I’ll ask of you to avoid speaking of him in that manner, he is still my mate.”

“Does not do much to his tainted blood though,” She shrugs, “what do you think is happening to you right now?” Again, she enjoys hearing herself speak as she rambles on without listening to anything he has to say. “You’re detoxifying.”

“Mildly informative” Zoro scoffs.

“The blood pumping in his veins is tainted with the one thing us, werewolves, detest the most.” She reports, her eyes fall on his, “Magic” and quickly corrects herself, “black magic.”

“Meaning?” He asks, indifferently.

“It is changing you, has for a while.” She shrugs only a shoulder and says, “First, the magic assaults your internal organs, which explains your sudden appetite loss, the vomiting and the shaky legs. Second, it moves into your intestines, attacks your blood cells, causing violent body reactions, hence the convulsions.” She informs with an air of similar indifference. “And then it attacks the rest of what constructs your body in order to change it, and that is your bones.”

“And what does that tell me?”

“Chopper was right,” she admits bitterly, “after the detox, your body is going to change itself into something new.” She adds, conversionally, “And I have seen these symptoms before, a Beta who used to belong to my pack many years ago was unfortunate to be bitten by another Alpha, it changed him.”

“Into what?” He prompts, seriously, he’s had it up to here with his melodramatic family members exaggerating things however they want.

“Into a Lycan,” She answers, “Zoro, he changed into a Lycan."


	22. Chapter 22

 

 

“That’s absurd!” Comes his hoarse voice with strained incredulity, “We don’t know that.”

“Yes, we do.” His mother confirms, displaying her honest worry over her marred forehead. “Zoro, that man’s blood has already tainted yours, and has already begun working on attacking your internal organs. It is only a matter of time before you start changing soon.” She looks away for a moment before looking back at her son, stepping closer to his bed. “I will remove your binds. I will allow you free and about only because I need you sluiced and tidy.” She eyes his hair. “An honest-to-God soak, a new set of clothing and some fresh meat, in that order.”

“Wait,” he holds up his hands but the ties block his movement, “You just told me I’m turning into a Lycan and now you’re asking me to tidy up? Is it just me or this sounds so fucked up?”

“Language, Zoro.” She warns with knotted brows, working now on untying her son’s wrists.

“Screw that.” He blares, “And what the hell are you doing with the chains?” he groans, “Are you untying me? Are you even for real?”

She blows out a breath from her small nose, exhibiting a flaunting show of crystal blue eyes, but they soon turn back to their color as she calms down. “You’re harmless for the moment, and we have already made our way through the critical part, and going back over your symptoms, the next spinal spasm isn’t going to happen until a few days from now.” She explains, studiously avoiding his eyes, her hands working the chains open with precise deduction. “And it is going to be a very painful process when it does.”

“A spinal spasm?” He echoes, his nose flaring as he forces down his disapproval of his mother’s releasing him. Apparently, coming to the premises of getting aggressive with his mother isn’t a good idea, at all.

She nods, moving to his feet to free them. “It was the last of the symptoms my late companion had showed before he changed completely, but, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” She moves back, giving him space. “’I’ll have them tie you back when you’ve done all you’ve been told.”

Without even glancing back over her shoulder, and without even showing one of her temporary smiles to her son, she picks up her coat again and storms out of the room, taking the tension with her.

Zoro sits up very slowly, groaning and hearing his sore muscles groaning with him. He pushes his feet out of the bed to plank them on the floor and makes for the bathroom’s door.

 

********

 

Nami and Keimi’s eyes lift to meet Sanji’s, and the astonishment in their trembling gaze is unsettling. He is still deciding whether what the two have heard is anything he should be let in on even if it could traumatize him for a good few years to come, when Mrs. Ronoa walks in his direction. Because the arched hallway entrance is right behind the living-room, that’s the only way out if she is planning to leave, that or she is plainly intent on walking up to Sanji. Her face set on a few wrinkles that make her look surprisingly older. She halts in front of him, eying him with something akin to abhorrence, showing him overtly that she has downright loathed him on first sight.

Sanji looks back at her, levelly, coming to know by now that a lengthy harangue is on its way for something she grasps like a reason to send daggers to his direction if he as much as breathes.

“Zoro is my son,” she starts, “He may act foolishly because he is still a young Alpha, but I’m not.”

Keimi and Nami watch from the proverbial benches, deciding their meddling isn’t worth the disembowelment as they gear up for the coming lashing.

“I know that I cannot undo the excruciating pain you’ve already afflicted to his body, and I cannot renew the blood you’ve already tainted in him.” She says, eyes never lifting off of his, “To be fair, no one can certainly speak of the full extent of the damage done to his internals, and I can only watch him suffer.”

He wants to look away, God, he wants to flinch.

“For us, it is commonsensical that witches and dark Alchemists are disgusting and foul creatures that should be culled before birth.” She smiles, “Especially you, mortal, you obviously have no respect for your miserable self and have only now sought a better life by making my son’s a living hell.”

The tide with which the disparaging pejoratives clash on him is massive, and for a heartbeat, he glances over to the two girls casting sorry eyes to him, and then he looks at the woman in front of him, unfazed. “Mrs. Ronoa, I ask of you not to speak to me in such a manner if you will make no effort in knowing me first.”

She cocks her head, her smirk growing baleful, “Well, you certainly seem to think highly of yourself, mortal.” She says, staring at him with wide eyes, “And it seems you have been listening to no word I have just said, you” –she scowls now– “are the reason my son is changing to something he is not. Your tainted blood is the reason Zoro is not himself anymore. Now, maybe I cannot heal my son, but I can sure as hell avenge him. I would have volunteered myself to bludgeon you like a common dog to make my point, but” –she shrugs, her eyes flicking away– “My son won’t let me have it.”

Sanji is irked –someone he’s never talked to before is so readily derogating his existence, of course he’s irked, but he is not so brazen as to actually react knowing the other woman isn’t just bones and muscles under that fair skin. There are claws and fangs and contained anger that if he as much as fuels with speechifying unnecessary grovels about 'Courtesy, ma’am. Getting on the wrong foot by being rude? Now, how uncivilized.' She’d have him skinned alive and neatly eviscerated.

“Do not near him.” She warns, her gaze flicking back on the two squirming girls. “I will allow you at my house only because I see it fit, but if you near my son’s cell, there will be no more talk.” Saying so, she flings one last warning glare to Sanji’s direction before finally tromping across the hall.

He brings his arms up to cross them over his middle, they fend off whatever a tad shock and anger the handful of words Mrs. Ronoa has laid out for him, but it’s stifling, _this isn’t just a storm in a teakettle_ … the movement alone is suffocating as a straitjacket would do him. “Is it true?” He asks, his eyes roaming over the floor, undecidedly. “What she said about Zoro’s sickness, was it me who” –he momentarily chokes on his words, clears his throat and tries again– “Was it me who caused it?”

“We don’t know that for sure.” Keimi dashes to his side, searching his countenance for something beyond shock, she finds nothing.

Nami does the same after surging to his side, “They could be all words for all we know.” She says, worry latent, urging her to mollify his anger riling for a way out. “Laying her failure on you… a bad carpenter blames his tools.”

He snorts, obviously not mused, “You know, we probably shouldn’t make light of the fact that Zoro is changing because of me.”

“True enough.” Chopper’s voice rumbles, and it doesn’t even irk him how the two girls flinch away from him, latching their backs round Sanji protectively. “My, my, we’ve got a right one here –or two, but rest assured, ladies, I don’t bite.” He tells them, now looking dully at the man, “You were right, who would have thought, but I guess even a stopped clock is right twice a day.”

Sanji, obviously, is in no mood for forced antics. “Is it true?”

“I have no obligation to explain anything to you,” he says, rebelling against his own plan of wanting to study Sanji and Zoro’s relationship in favor of attaining a solution for the Alpha’s state, a cure for his sickness. “But I’m not such a stick-in-the-mud as to deny you the knowledge. If there is someone who deserves to know, it is you.” He says, face stoic, “Now, what we should do is sit down and have a good talk about this.” He walks ahead, conscious of their gait after him, following close by as he takes them to another vault-ceiled sitting room.

They’re all seated over the beige sofas filling up the place. Sanji on his part is still crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’ll make this short since I kept Kuina by herself to guard Zoro’s door. There belonged a beta to Mrs. Ronoa’s oldest pack, he was a fair man, but he didn’t take kindly to demands of keeping from flexing his muscles. Another pack, a hostile one, was attempting to muscle in on our schemes.” He says, “We set out ordinary skirmishes to guard the territory, and our Beta engaged in a fight with one of their Betas, it didn’t end well.” He sighs, “It was such a mastered plan to lure our Beta to them simply by feigning loss. And their Alpha eventually got hold of our Beta and bit him like a dog would do a knuckle, and it turned the Beta after a week and a few days.”

“So,” Nami gulps her hesitation to ask, “What does it have to do with our Alpha?”

“If a werewolf is bitten by an Alpha, he or she changes into a Lycan.” He drums his hoofed hands together, the vibration of his voice echoes down his gorge.

“But isn’t a Lycan just another version of werewolves?” Keimi asks with innocent curiosity.

“Have you been using Google to heap up info about Lycans!” He exclaims, “This generation amazes me.”

The two girls wince under the accusation, but their rigidified frames relax when they look upon Sanji’s eyes zeroing in on the rabbit with unperturbed focus.

“A Lycan is an advanced version of a werewolf, and the only difference between them is the full moon.”

“The full moon,” Nami repeats after him like some smart kid student. “Different? How, exactly?”

“Let’s fan out the deck of cards at hand first,” he repositions his small frame over the armchair, “A werewolf _is_ a supernatural creature; you, for example” –he gestures with his hand towards the two girls sitting across the coffee table– “have several superpowers. You also change partially into humanoid wolves when you wolf out for stances purposes.” He states matter-of-fact with a drawled tone, “But you can’t change into a complete werewolf form if the moon isn’t full.”

“That’s common sense.” Nami tacks on.

“Indeed,” he nods his small head gingerly. “But a Lycan can.”

The three of them drop their jaws at him, gawkily.

“Lycans can change whenever they want wherever they want, and are also bipedal. Unlike quadruped ordinary werewolves, it gives them speed when prey tracking, and _that_ is the difference between them.” He raises his hand heavenward, “Also, a Lycan’s privileges don’t stop here; they possess tremendous superhuman powers, take it whether it’s speed, agility, or regenerative abilities, or even coordination. And they also have explicitly precise tracking abilities, too. They’re simply far stronger, faster and smarter.”

“So how is Zoro changing into one of these stronger, faster and smarter creatures a bad thing?” Sanji goads with a voice devoid of emotions.

The other three turn their eyes to him.

Good deduction.

“Because it wasn’t a bite that changed him –” and he quickly corrects himself, “going to.” Shaking his head, he adds, “It was magical blood.”

“How would it affect Mr. Ronoa?” Keimi asks with utter worry.

“Badly.” he offers, “So far, nothing good came out of werewolves involved in magic, and witches.”

“Yea, but Sanji hasn’t harmed anyone!” She looks at him with a silent plea.

“Yet.” He raises that warrantable, hoofed hand again, “But, honestly, with magical beings, you never know.” He shrugs arrogant shoulders and adds, “Ronoa Zoro has already undergone the symptoms, and worse yet to come, but after that, we’ll have to wait and see if the transformation will happen or not.” He floats up to help himself on his haunches, and raises a hand, requesting they allow him to finish before they ask anything else. He can’t deny the desire and the medley range of protests and urgings to pique on the vexation Sanji has masterfully kept contained. “It seems like your blood has indeed contaminated Zoro, but it also appears to me that whenever you’re close by, he relaxes. Doesn’t it tell you something?”

Sanji lifts his eyes very slowly, pupils quivering under the weight of Chopper’s amused smirk.

“He feels pain when the blood in your body is away, but recovers when it’s near.”

Sanji’s heart gives a violent thump, and the arms crossed over his chest unfold only to wrap around his middle even if the movement is a little tentative.

What do Chopper’s words tell him, exactly?

His shoulders slouch as he sinks dejectedly more into the gentle touch of leather.

Chopper’s presence then evaporates into smoke, and some of it gets inside Sanji’s nose, blocking his airway, but it doesn’t do much more than cause him a few coughs. He feels more terrible when the girls try to make him feel better, as if after everything he’s heard today, he was still going to just flip the switch and laugh it off. With a wan smile, he excuses himself to the room that was ‘prepared especially for him’, and dives with a groan nose-first onto the duvet. Slowly allowing his brilliant blue pupils to make an appearance, he looks toward the windows as the evening light streams in, temporarily veiled with hoar clouds that have wanted this time of the year to shine.

He doesn’t want to lift a muscle, it’d hurt then, not the muscle, but the effort.

And it comes to him uninvited, _you are the reason my son is changing._ He groans inwardly, _seems like your blood has indeed contaminated him._

He sits up, running a dry hand over his face with force as a snort blows out of his plump lips. “And here I was becoming increasingly worried that there isn’t enough anxiety in my life.”

He never thought _he_ was the icing on the cake.

Now he can’t face his mate, he will, eventually, but not right now. Right now, he wants to catch up on the sleep he couldn’t get back in Zoro’s cell, it sounds like a perfect escape. And it’s not like pondering his mate’s state is going to change anything. So far, there is no cure, or they’d have already brought it if there was any. Mrs. Ronoa literally wants to kill him, maul him and mutilate him too if given a chance. And everyone is pointing accusatory fingers at his pretty face, he can tell even if they don’t voice it out. “So suck it up because Zoro is still gonna transform into a Lycan” and how in the name of God has his blood managed to cause any of this is a freaking mystery.

A farrago of red-herring facts and myths with no futuristic social norms exchanged between the oldest Alpha and his nameless self isn’t going to bring him relief and answers either. In fact, he might as well find relief in the wheel of questions if he sought it, but it’s troublesome because thinking drives the sleep away, and he wants to sleep, now if not necessarily later in the night.

The lullaby of falling rain lulls him to a looming doze, and those open lids fall down gradually, closing again.

 

He wakes up again a few hours into the night. He turns on his back and sits up in a lethargic fashion, and it takes only a second for all the happenings of today to come back to him like the high tide at dawn.

He had wished it’d all go away before he closed his eyes, but apparently, it didn’t.

It all leaves him half empty, as if the one thing that would put the puzzle back together is just lacking for someone else’s sake, whoever that is, _whatever_ that is. It manages to rile him up in spite of his sweet escape to a dreamless doze; shock and anger are present again to dominate his solemn features and show him back to the mirror inside the bathroom as a defiled being, a stain on life’s own existence, a stain that needs to be scrubbed clean. And being the idiotic creature that he is, who is not even a hair breadth away from being a stain, he scrubs himself. He actually scrubs himself under the lashing spray of the shower head, engrossed in the baffling hodgepodge of negative, unobtainable and forever a stain. And he doesn’t stop until his abdomen complains in a protest coming as reddish welts over his skin, and they sting under the force of the water.

It’s hard to, but he’s man enough to admit it… he wants to be comforted.

And if there’s someone out there who has seen him like this before, it’s his mate.

He fondles his nipples since it seems they’ve stood erect to the lukewarm water. The sensation is likable, he believes, but he puts more effort into it because he knows he wants to be comforted as soon as possible. The effort grows tantalizing now as he slides his fingers into the puckered entrance. He presses himself against the tiled wall, inadvertently drawing its cold to his own needy, feverish body.

He promises himself he isn’t going to come just from this.

He only wants to…

What does he want, really?

 

After drying up and putting his sweats back on, he collects himself and aims the door. Opening it now, he finds a serving table by his door, the food on it covered by shiny silver food cloche. He thanks Rolla from the kitchen for bringing him food to his mouth, but if only she knew he had no appetite to speak of. But she is the type of person who would go hell-bent on feeding the guests –by hand if the situation called for it, especially a lovable guest like Sanji, and he knows that well, so he removes the plate cover and wine is all he sees amongst the variant plates. He takes the red wine bottle and lingers to speculate his options since there’s only one glass. He either takes it with the coffee mug, or just settle with the bottle alone. And congrats, the latter wins. He makes his way to the living room, and immediately comes to the conclusion that he doesn’t like it here, and trying to fit a square peg into a round hole is a work of wonders. He wants to leave here as soon as the chance gives way, he can always hole up in some motel and make occasional visits to his mate until – _if_ he gets better.

This is fleeing. And he knows it.

He is, no, he _wants_ to chicken out. He wants to get away from this house as soon as the days allow. Or better yet, he wants to take Zoro with him to somewhere remote, and have all the privacy of the world to themselves, where no furious mothers are promising to harm him, no accusatory fingers are pointing at him for hurting Zoro when he knows damn well it was never his intention. And what’s more, he wants to flee to where Zoro isn’t withering away in pain in front of his eyes.

It’s for him. He has to stay for Zoro. He has to swallow the threats and the accusations so he’d try and do something for his mate.

The shelf slides open for him, and he saunters in as the wine sloshes inside the bottle when he moves it. He hears the shelf creaking closed behind him, and it echoes within the walls which paint has been flaking off for years by the looks of it. He stops at the steel door of Zoro’s cell, squats down now with his back to it, grunting to sit cross-legged on the hard, glossy enamel.

A dozen of minutes and half a bottle later, Sanji slumps against the door, feeling his head thump against the steel.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Zoro’s voice blasts through the tightly locked door, and Sanji feels an awful lot better hearing the voice that grounds him almost immediately.

“Actually, I slept through the day.” He takes another swig, “Hence the insomnia.”

“What ‘you doing there anyway?” Zoro asks.

“Keeping vigil over my mate,” he jokes, furrowing eventually because something is nagging at him from afar, he doesn’t know what it is. Rather, he does, he just chooses to ignore it. “How ‘you feeling now?”

“Refreshed.” He offers, “Had my first shower in four days.”

“Another privilege you’ve earned back.” Sanji chortles, seeing how laughing isn’t really a choice now.

Silence slips in, but it’s countered by Zoro’s bold statement. “You’re afraid to open the door now?”

“What,” Sanji shudders, “No, no. I’m not.” He shakes his head to further assure his words, “It’s not like that.” How could it be?

“I believe you.” He says, curtly.

“Right,” Sanji drones as he plasters his forehead against the cold touch of steel, “Enhanced hearing.”

“If that’s not the case, what’s eating away on you then?”

It might have escaped Zoro’s mind, but he’s the one tied to a steel cot.

“Worry for yourself, fur ball.” He hiccups, leering into the darkness since he concluded that illuminating the hall with blinding white fluorescent was out of options today as well. “Ah, right, why aren’t I seeing Kuina around, heard Bunny say she kept watch over you.”

“I think she had to use the bathroom,” he theorizes, “She’ll be here soon.”

Sanji hums in understanding. _So werewolves use the bathroom, too._

“Why, you have a thing for her? Overlapping now, Sanji?” He says through smiling lips, Sanji can hear it.

“There ain’t a cure out there for serial monogamists, especially one with a handsome face like mine.” He jokes back, enjoying the deep vibration of Zoro’s laughter, but it quickly backfires as the mention of ‘cure’ brings the happenings again, and he gulps his giggle before it makes its touch in these enamel and hard steel walls. He lifts himself up, now working on unlocking the door with just a hand since the other is currently busy providing alcohol to his parched gullet.

Zoro is making warnings from there about opening the door, but it grows frantic when Sanji doesn’t even heed his orders because right now, Mrs. Ronoa’s warning not to near this cell sounds like a complete entertainment compared to the real threat of the pending misery.

The door finally creaks open, and Zoro lifts his head a little to see, not knowing for certain what to expect exactly.

“Your eyes are red.” Sanji points out, but receives a low snarl for his effort.

“You’re not allowed in here, Sanji.” He warns, “At least wait until sis gets back.”

The other ignores his words as he fumbles with his phone, planning to turn the flashlight on since he has no night vision for eyes that shine red in the darkness. He scans the room, expecting it to be a mess especially that Zoro was allowed free to fling about in his leisure time. But was he ever surprised to find the room as right as ninepence. He even finds more items on the table, a pagoda shaped lamp, a number of, maybe three, thick and aged books stacked up on its surface, and a bottle of red wine and two glasses. He eyes the vinyl chair hooked together with the table in the corner.

“Homey.” He comments, humming admiringly. His hands levitates over the rough book cover, reading Samguk Yusa, and it immediately gives him a sort of an idea of what the other two books are about.

“Kuina made it for you.” Zoro tells him the happy news in a soft murmur. “It's actually a bit surprising she didn't include a book of apotropaic magic. I mean I spoke to her about you earlier, and we both came to the conclusion that that’s the kind of magic that would suit you.”

“Yea,” Sanji leans in to flick the lights of the lamp on, “Maybe open a store of my own, sell good luck tokens and charms, talismans too, just for the heck of it.”

Zoro chuckles, “And you’ve got a knack for making the wards with bloody pentagrams, so it’d be a damned sight.”

Sanji ignores the hint, because warding with bloody pentagrams doesn’t paint a pretty photo in his head, he regrets doing it now. He sedulously swigs the wine in four gulps, and the both of them hear the bottle neck knocks with his teeth.

“You’re wasted.” Zoro breathes out, and the traces of his earlier chuckle are still present, making him sound drunk as well. “Pour me some.”

Searchingly, Sanji eyes the bottle in his hand, and then his mate. If Zoro wants to drink too, he’ll let him drink. Here. He takes another large gulp but heedful of his movement, he doesn’t want to drink it, Zoro does. He approaches Zoro’s head with a pair of lips pressed just slightly, leaning down now, he motions at Zoro with his jaw to part his lips, and the other does. Sanji smiles to himself as his lips touch his mate’s, and very slowly, he lets the droplets of wine spill down Zoro’s tongue. The latter shuffles but it momentarily blocks his windpipe, and he throttles, and coughs. Sanji chuckles, instantaneously sliding his hand under his mate’s head to hoist it up a little; he never did bravado well. Pulling back now, Sanji aims to place the bottle on the table, still hearing a few stifled coughs make their way out of Zoro’s mouth.

“You heard, didn’t you?”

The noise reduces to silence gradually.

Sanji turns around now, facing his mate with a pair of flat eyes.

Zoro’s Adam apple bounces up-and-down.

“You did, didn’t you?” Sanji repeats, his intent gaze increasing as he draws nearer to the bed.

“Look,” Zoro switches to look skyward, and then back at his mate. “None of it changes anything, it doesn’t change the fact I’m still an Alpha and the pack belongs to me, and it sure as hell doesn’t change the fact we’re mates.”

“Yea but you’ve run out of your werewolf juice now.” Sanji snorts humorlessly.

“They invigorated, it’s a process.” He corrects, “And to be honest, I think turning into a Lycan is a lot better than dying vegetarian.”

It makes Sanji’s smile twitch, desperately wanting to appear.

“Don’t.” He suddenly warns.

Sanji looks up immediately, “What?”

“Don’t brood,” he offers, “You look miserable when you do it.”

Sanji looks away for a moment, a cynical smirk tainting his lips, “I don’t just look it, I _feel_ it.”

Zoro sighs, “Don’t do this to me now. You know my hands are tied and I can’t grab you to kiss that frown off your face.”

Blushing, Sanji looks away again, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

He’d have cursed the day Zoro decided self-promotion to higher degrees of sweet talking was feasible, doable now. But maybe he should learn from him, heck, he should learn from his own mistakes. The memory of Zoro giving him the cold shoulder not so long ago is still fresh, “be honest about your feelings” the pack has told him repeatedly, and he wants to sneer derisively at their naïve plans of making him open up because if there’s something he hates most in this world, after ghosts, is sentiments, or, more particularly, being open about his inner sentiments.

If he did, it’d feel like someone had him hung on a meat hook, stripped him naked.

But Zoro is offering his worry on a silver fucking platter, and it’d be foolish not to at least appreciate it.

Or, perhaps, return the favor, why not.

Some people convey in words, he conveys in fulfillment.

Digesting the thought by now, he nods and moves slowly, smooth as a cat. His hand slide down the bar of the bed and he eventually plants himself in front of his mate’s feet.

“Maybe you should go back to your room, what ‘you say?” Zoro, the poor bastard, is still worrying about Sanji’s mood.

Said male’s smirk grows predatory as well, he allows his both hands to go up and rest on Zoro’s legs, stroking, caressing. He starts from his ankles and up to his kneecaps, fondling as if the transformation rendered him delicate.

Zoro relents, facing the wall now and almost purring under the gentle ministration.

“Chide me later if the cot gives.” Sanji warns beforehand, climbing the said cot..

“It’s hard steel, you idiot.” He reassures, eying Sanji as he straddles him so easily like that is where he belongs and the two just failed to realize it. “It won’t give, it has an X stretcher underneath, so.”

Sanji feels Zoro’s lap stiffen under him, and it tells him even his mate has been anticipating this. He rubs along Zoro’s groins, painfully slowly. His mate sighs under the massage, his hands relaxing beside his hips.

But this is not what Sanji’s aiming for.

He steers his right hand down the bulge growing in size, groping it tenderly and feeling it harden under his palm. He’d have pointed it out if he wasn’t the same. He pulls the waistband downward, and Zoro glowers at him, he actually glowers. “You should stop.” he starts, licking his bottom lip. “We don’t know what stirring me up would do, I might snap again.”

“Do you honestly believe I’d stop, _now_?” Sanji dares, “I want to suck you off, Zoro.” He states his intentions with reddened cheeks, “And I don’t think you want me to stop either.”

“I hope that’s not the alcohol talking.” Zoro hums, “This is actually something I don’t get to see a lot.”

“What is?” Sanji asks, still keeping his eyes on his mate’s while his hand pulls the other’s sweats and boxers down to the thighs.

“Initiative” Zoro smirks thinly, and Sanji smirks back.

“Lie down and try to enjoy it.” He winces, ducking down the sprung, vein-engraved cock. “I won’t use my teeth, I promise.”

He noses at its shaft, and Zoro yowls in immediate response.

Good start.

Sanji thumbs the cock’s crown, and it’s oozing and shiny, now he wonders eagerly how it would taste inside his mouth. One way to find out, he decides.

He touches its tip with his lush lips, only kissing it at first, but then he opens his mouth on it, taking it in very slowly. Sanji closes his eyes to focus on leveling up the skill of his lips, but it still doesn’t get even a moan from his mate. He takes the cock in deeper now, just like he said on the phone he would. It’s not just because he promised in some false delicacy manner that he is doing it, it’s because he genuinely, truly wants to do it. He feels his own tongue demurring at the back of his mouth so he twirls it accidently on the tip of the cock, and it draws a low moan from Zoro. It delights Sanji, so he does it more, bringing a hand to fondle the balled meat, tapping at them to add friction, and he hums self-satisfyingly for the idea, but again, it does something to Zoro and he rumbles in pleasure.

“Fuck, Sanji.” He moans, his tied hands shifting relaxingly beside him, “Where the hell did you learn to do that?”

Sanji pulls back with a long suck which ends with a shamelessly sticky plop. “I practiced?” The tip of his tongue licks his upper lip.

Zoro’s eyes snap open and he props up on his elbows, looking into his mate’s eyes with confusion and other things Sanji has no heart to name. “You _practiced_?”

Sanji nods fervently, using his right hand again to press his mate’s cock on his stomach, only to stroke it with long-fingered hands that exhibit more skill than anyone Zoro’s slept with before. The comparison just escapes him and he guesses the reason why he’s giving extra scores to his mate is because his wolf is wagging its tail seeing Snji so needy for him like this.

“With whom?” His voice almost cracks with shock and a wince.

The other rolls his eyes and repositions himself over Zoro’s lap, “it’s _what_ , Zoro.” He corrects, “It was an object.” Saying so, he ignores how Zoro’s expression goes from fumed and confused to smug all at once. He takes his white shirt off his head, huffing when it goes past his face.

“Wait,” Zoro braces his elbows on the mat, “’We going all the way?”

“I’m not stopping here because you ain’t quite in the optimal condition for this,” he explains, his hands gliding up his mate’s chest and stopping on his collarbone. “Told you I wanna do it, so, just leave it all to me, okay?”

“Touché.” He raises a brow, and warns in advance, smirk still smug, evidently still espousing how perfectly seductive the image of Sanji sucking on a banana is. “'Can’t promise anything, though.”

Sanji’s azure blue eyes turn dark as he slowly hunches down, planting his forearms on each side of his mate’s head. He feels Zoro’s cool breath ghost over his mouth and his lips part of their own accord. Zoro leans back on the mat and Sanji follows his lips, leaning forward, and Zoro’s eyes flutter shut.

And then they are mashing their lips together.

Sanji’s hands curl around his mate’s neck, prowling through the smooth hair, loving how it feels against his own skin.

“Open,” Zoro mumbles, but Sanji opens his lips without waiting for the order to come in words. And Zoro takes in the slick heat of his mate’s tongue as he plunders those lips and goes deeper, drawing deep groans from Sanji and a sound close to a whine when he greedily sucks on the tongue hesitatingly wanting to invade his mouth. By the time Sanji pulls away and raises his head, they’re both panting. He goes for another thing because both of them are aroused, and, besides, Zoro won’t refuse him a request. He glides up just slightly so the side between his neck and shoulder is hovering over his mate’s face. “Scent me, Zoro.” He says, breathlessly, “Please.”

Said male lets out a low growl, inhumane if Sanji cared to analyze, but he is currently washed over by pleasure and the last thing he wants to do is seat himself over the vinyl and play Dr. Frankl.

Zoro brushes the tip of his nose against Sanji’s neck in the lightest of touches, scenting him in a lungful, humming inwardly with satisfaction. The latter’s eyes flutter shut without his consent. Oh God, he missed this. Zoro dips his face to change the angle, his lips skid to the spot under Sanji’s earlobe. He licks it through parted lips, and quickly sucks on it when the contented sighs turn him so on. Sanji rears up on his elbows with more attention to fight past the dizzy feeling washing over him, working his hips to cause more friction down _there_.

“Your trackies, Ji” –Zoro urges, his words spoken in a fervent whisper into his mate’s reddish ear–“lose them.”

Sanji props up more on his right elbow, his other hand working on taking off his sweatpants along with his boxers, grunting in the process. He gets them right to his knees when Zoro starts nibbling at the offered earlobe. “These are yours, aren’t they?”

“Do you see other men in this house?” Zoro mumbles through full lips, but he gets interrupted when Sanji switches his own weight on his other elbow, taking his sweatpants and boxers off his other leg.

“What about the mint-colored room?” He teases, finally managing to throw the clothes to the floor, and he goes back to leaning down over his mate, placing his weight more on his elbows as his hands play with Zoro’s hair, “that yours too?”

“Maybe you should untie me,” He looks down through the gap between his and his mate’s chests, and sees how Sanji’s had his pants and boxers down to his knees. “I look lame.”

Sanji lets out a low chuckle, “No, you don’t.” He shakes his head, “Besides, I can’t untie you. It’s against the rules, man.”

Zoro interrupts his own smile, “But you walking in here by yourself to inappropriately exude suggestive behavior is not?”

“Is that what they’re calling these days?” Sanji ducks down to place kisses along Zoro’s neck, “inappropriate behavior?”

“That’s just a euphemism actually.” Zoro corrects, working his bottom lip between his canines as Sanji nibs at his chin, grazing it with his teeth.

“Euphemism for what, exactly?” Sanji asks, bucking his hips to allow both their cocks to nudge each other in their nest.

Zoro groans, yanking his wrists from the chains, “I don’t know,” he huffs, “sexual harassment?” Desperate for more friction, Zoro lowers his hips, and as if reading his thoughts, Sanji lifts his, allowing him the chance to free his cock from the makeshift nest and settle it between Sanji’s ass cheeks. He wants to rim it, but his limbs are constricted enough to bring him only to this far. With a low moan, Sanji grinds against the captive cock, sighing pleasurably at the feeling of the hot dick rubbing his hole. Zoro feels his mate’s entrance already slick and turning his own cock sticky. “ _Jesus_ , Sanji.”

And said male seizes his lips again, sucking with an unintended huff. Zoro takes him in a sloppy kiss, giving his mate what he wants. But Zoro can’t help but point it out, so he pulls away enough to ask, “You get yourself ready for me?”

Sanji nods and his eyes are near blinding when he smiles into the kiss, “I’m gonna…” he slides his left hand down through the gap between them. “Okay, Zoro?” He fists said male’s cock in a trembling grip. “Don’t stir up, or worse, snap my neck.” He pulls back from those amazing lips, pecking lightly on his mate’s jaw line after making sure the latter has nodded his assurance. He squats over him and holds the base of Zoro’s dick, sitting properly on its tip to slowly insert it into his hole. He tenses at first, but quickly breathes in and out when he realizes tensing up would most likely prevent it from going in. “Okay, okay, it’s in.” He rasps, now turning to look down at his mate, “Almost feels like a role-play,; you, strapped down to a cot, and me, riding your dick stark naked.”

Zoro vibrates with a vivid chuckle. “I still think doing it like this” –he yanks the chains to clear his point– “is going to be bad” he says, “for _me_ ” he admits.

Sanji clasps his palms on Zoro’s chest, he slides himself up a little until only the head is held inside, and then he slides back down, taking Zoro’s entire cock inside him.

How bad, again?

Zoro tenses over the cot, his limbs giving slight tremors of protest. Come on, this isn’t fair, he wants part in the play, too. He looks up at his mate, but Sanji is completely gone, face overtaken by ecstatic bliss. He’s lifted his head skywards, moaning his pleasure without shame as he pumps his ass on the rigid cock ridiculously slowly.

“Oh, fuck” he moans, “Yes, I missed this… Fuck!”

“Going stir crazy here,” Zoro grumbles, seeking Sanji’s attention, a mercy. “Just a hand, untie my right” he urges, “’key’s under the right side of the bar.”

Sanji brings his lust-coated eyes on his mate’s, his hand sliding down to the aforementioned bar and coming out with a tiny silver key, “One hand _only._ ” He reminds, now undoing the chain binding Zoro’s right wrist.

Once his hand is freed, Zoro sits up to palm Sanji’s left ass cheek as the latter drapes his hands on his mate’s shoulders. Zoro lifts that cheek, thrusting a little fast, but ending up ramming his ass with a speed that grinds Sanji to an airless halt, his eyes roll back under his lids and his mouth remains agape.

Only the sound of skin slapping skin is heard.

When Zoro pauses abruptly, a loud gasp tears its way from Sanji’s mouth as his head falls on Zoro’s shoulder, panting near his ear. “ _Amazing!”_ he pants some more through a stutter-y laugh, “Fucking _amazing_!”

Zoro kisses the crown of Sanji’s head and the latter slowly lifts his head, meeting his mate’s lips and taking them in his.

Maybe the distance did it, maybe the long days because _yes_ it’s been _days_ , but whatever the ingredient that’s made them this greedy for each other, it did them a favor. And Zoro can’t stop himself form letting out low rumbles as he breathes in along Sanji’s neck, his free hand roaming over his mate’s back, his shoulders, his neck, and then back to his chest. And what’s with the heat rash invading his skin? “Sanji, what did this?” He ghosts his hand over the marks.

“Just a rash,” Sanji offers vehemently, lifting Zoro’s chin up to kiss him again, “Zoro,” he pulls away enough to growl between their mouths. “I know you want to touch, and I do too, I swear, but we can cuddle _after._ ” He leans in to whisper his next words with as much heated moans as he can muster, “Right now? I wanna fuck.” He sucks the inside of his ear as a reward, “and no biting either, just a good fuck.”

Zoro growls, “ _God_ , you’re such a lecher!”

Sanji grins and bites his bottom lip suggestively.

“You’re not in heat, are you? Considering you’re human and this is not rutting season.” He chuckles as his eyes take in the seductive body posing atop him. “Fuck” he grits out, “Lean back a little, support yourself on my thighs.” He barks, “In my position like this I can hardly do much, but I’ll make it work because my mate deserves a good fuck.”

And Sanji moans at the pet name and leans back a little just as told, parting his knees and rolling his hips to tease Zoro more. No stirring him up, just, driving him a little crazy and _come on! Pound him already!_

Zoro grips the edge of the bar with his chained hand, while the other one digs in Sanji’s hip, bracing him in place. “Lift your ass, and _keep_ it lifted.”

Sanji complies without complaints, just _hurry!_ Zoro thrusts in him again, burying his cock to the hilt, and pulling it back to the head, and repeating the process all over again but faster each time.

“Zo… God! Zoro!” Sanji supports his weight on his hands to look properly at his mate, “Do it, fucking _yes_!”

Zoro shifts his position, it’s barely noticeable really, but apparently Sanji feels it as the cock accidently brushes his prostate. And he lets out continuous whines of pleasure. So it tells Zoro’s next move as he pounds on the same spot unrelentingly. Sanji gasps as his sweet spot gets rigorously worked over. “So good, oh God… oh yeah, right there, fuck me…” he begs through shameless whimpers, his eyes narrowing with lust, “fuck me _right there!_ ”

And that’s exactly what Zoro does because his mate wants it so bad it almost amazes him, and because he likes how his mate feels on him, too. He moves his hand just barely nearing Sanji’s cock when the latter stops him, “Don’t” he says breathlessly, “I wanna cum from this.”

Zoro raises his brows in raw confusion, “Just from my cock?”

Sanji nods sheepishly, glancing down at his cock spilling precum like a fountain, it won’t be long now.

“ _Jesus fuck_ , Sanji.” The other man almost groans as he pulls his mate to him from his arm and plunders his lips, those plump lips that taste just _so good_ he’d suck on them for an entire day if they’d not swell. “You’re perfect for me.” He pants, sliding his hand back to Sanji’s ass cheek, lifting it again, and Sanji tenses over him with anticipation. “I’ll do it, babe, so hard but so good.” And he feels Sanji nodding eagerly above him. Zoro rams his mate’s ass so hard that it punches the air out from Sanji’s lungs again, and soon he’s hungrily watching as his mate’s back arches and his neck stretches when he tosses his head to the back, his mouth falls open, a pornographic whine tears itself from his lips. Strings of cum shoot from his cock onto their stomachs, and it is enough to send even Zoro over the edge as he grunts and thrusts his cum so deep inside his mate, relishing how Sanji spasms around him, liking the feeling of being filled.

They flop back on the mat, panting and grunting with the calming afterglow. Sanji winces on top of his mate as the latter slides his cock out of its comfort zone, but he soon nuzzles his sweaty neck, remembering how he promised to cuddle after. Zoro’s free arm, which Sanji is currently using as a pillow, goes up to caress his back.

“That was amazing” Sanji comments, “Sex in odd places? I’d say next time around, this would be a ‘must have.’"

“What, going after sexy times on every available flat surface?” Zoro chuckles, and lets the tips of his fingers brush lazily along Sanji’s back. “I wonder if you have a thing for flat surfaces.”

“Maybe,” he shrugs, “But fucking on your mother’s dining table is off my list, believe me, I’d rather my dick rot away.”

And this brings them to why Sanji is here in the first place.

“Mother and Chopper are two sides of the same coin, Saji,” He says with his deep voice “Maybe they’re a little riled up, but they’ll get over it soon. So don’t think too much on it.”

Zoro can take it, he doesn’t even ponders it like the way he should, whereas Sanji is harrowed by it, it crushes his chest and right this second, Sanji just wants a way out. So he pulls away from the warmth, and scans Zoro’s bottoms, and his own, coming to a conclusion now. “I better clean this, _us_.” He gets down from the cot, plastering his feet onto the cold enamel and it’s not what sends a shudder down his spine, it’s what spills down his hole and down his thighs. “Next time?” he looks over his shoulder at his mate, “We’re using condoms.”

Zoro’s lips part into a smile.

As he stands by the sink damping a new washcloth under the tap, Sanji’s heart starts fluttering like wings. He thinks to himself this is what Zoro’s made of him, and now he is slowly coming undone but he loves every bit of it. The raw pleasure Zoro gave him was oh so good, but the scenting, it can hardly make any effect on him now because he is slowly becoming inconsolable. If anything, it was a little passion-inducing but that’s about it. He is halfway out of the door when he feels Zoro’s cum drying between his thighs.

 

When he finally walks out of the bathroom, his naked body is dripping wet and leaving watery footprints at his trail, even the towel around his waist is doing a poor job lessening it.

Zoro eyes all of him, his own brows slowly going up and he makes no effort to hide his gulp.

“No more rounds.” Sanji points at him with his index, “My ass is still throbbing,” saying so, he drops the wet washcloth on Zoro’s thighs, wiping whatever he thinks he sees there.

Zoro lifts placating hands even if the other gets restricted by the chains, “I didn’t say anything.”

“Well, your face did.” Sanji counters, but the playful smile on his face gives him away.

He pushes Zoro’s pants back up when he’s done, and the latter grunts aiding him. Sanji aims the pile of his discarded clothes, wearing them back on.

“There’s something you’re not telling me.” Zoro coaxes, “Isn’t it?”

Maybe the sudden blip of his heart has already told Zoro what he needed to hear. Yes, there’s something he’s not telling his mate, and it’s probably better if it stays that way, he concludes. But when he words it in a flippant manner, Zoro shakes his head, “That’s not enough to get you off the hook.”

“What do you want me to say, man?” He fumes, indignantly, “That I screwed up? That all of this is my fault and I have no freaking idea how to fix it? That I’m a selfish ass who doesn’t deserve you, and should have let go before I was in too deep?”

Zoro sits up and parts his lips to say something but obviously Sanji won’t have it, he wanted closure, Sanji will give him closure.

“Gumihos and werewolves? I’m down. I even have a freaking lizard inside my stomach.” –Huge understatement– “And even though I think it’s a little impossible I still try to convince myself every day that it’s there. I convince myself that werewolves exist, that Gumihos and Jiangshis and God knows what else exist, but this” –he motions at the two of them– “it’s never going to work, and I know it, no, Zoro, let me finish–” he takes a deep breath to calm down first. “Thought I’d prove to her that I’m different, guess I never been so wrong.” He chuckles, cynical and all.

“We’ve mated!” Zoro exclaims, “Twice now, so we can’t exactly just schedule a free marriage consultation and cancel the rituals.” He says in a patronizing tone, “I told you mother was just riled up, she acts out of line whenever I’m involved, and I’m the only male Alpha left in the Ronoa family so cut her some slack. As for this” –he gestures at his body– “none of it was your fault. We couldn’t have known, nobody’s to blame, Sanji. So get your head outta your ass and forget about it.”

“Zoro, this is more than a simple fixer-upper. I _watched_ you whimper in _pain_ , I _heard_ your bones _break_ , loud and clear, and I can’t do it again. I’m not cut out for this, man. And God knows I tried to wrap my head around it but realizing supernatural creatures exist was enough of a shock, I can’t deal with this.”

Zoro’s shoulders slump and his chin dips.

“Zoro,” he bites down a sob, “I fucking love you so much it hurts” There, he said it, it’s in the air and he won’t take it back “And I feel so stupid right now but I’ve made a fool out of myself countless times so what’s one more, I’m going to say it all, and Gosh, having a mental break down at my age.” He snorts, “It’s hard, you know, it’s really hard but I don’t want to run away. I've done that more times than I care to admit, but no more” –he nears his mate as the latter lifts his head– “it’s fucked up, it’s a big freaking pile of mess but I won’t turn away, heck I’ve seriously wanted to ask Chopper to undo the mating rituals but then imagining my life without you? It broke me. You’re important to me, and I’m pretty sure it works both ways.”

Zoro shakes his head. “You’d go that far, Ji? Just what the hell am I here for if not to hear you out and share your burdens?”

The other lowers his head.

“You’re my _mate._ ” Zoro punctuates it on cue, and Sanji smiles inwardly because not long ago, he and Kuina said the same thing. “And I’m sorry but I don’t think you really understand what it really stands for; to us, it’s not just some word you fling about when it’s convenient. Being mates transcends everything, even ethics. You and I, we’re mated, it means I’d go against anyone or anything that comes in between us, even if it’s my own _mother._ ”

Sanji feels his knees almost buckle, and now he must rally with two sides; threats and accusations, and then the in-between: his source of comfort, his mate.

“But apparently,” Zoro looks away, “You don’t want any of this, it’s also my fault because I didn’t explain it to you before we –” He cuts himself short, only to add “You really wanted to undo the rituals?”

“Zoro,” he sighs, “I was feeling down and after what your mother and Chopper told me, I just, that did it, you know?”

“No, I don’t.” he counters, “Sanji, you can’t just turn around and run home whenever the goings get tough. I’m ready to swallow my pride to beg the court they don’t send us apart. I’m even ready to go against my mother to make this work, but I don’t think that’s what you want. I heard your kin call it commitment, you really don’t that well, I suppose –”

Lips clash on his and a heated kiss cuts him off, reckless and rough. A mess of limbs wrap around him, fingers tackle in his hair, a fucking moan pierces the scent of arousal permeating the air almost stifling his nose.

Sanji pulls away now, eyes roaming on his mate’s, lips red and swollen and a leg is clipped and taut askew over Zoro’s thigh.

“Will you shut up for a second?” Sanji berates, his hands sliding over Zoro’s shoulders, stroking to feel the muscles under the shirt, the ugly shirt, not allowing him to touch the skin. “Didn’t you hear the part where I said I fucking love you so much it hurts?” He whispers into his mate’s ear, wrapping his arms around Zoro’s neck again in a bone-crushing hug, “Zoro, I won’t say it again, I love you, and I’m not ready to call it off; in fact, I’ll never be.” He smiles when Zoro nuzzles the crook of his neck with his forehead “You’re my home, Zoro. You’re the one I’ll run to if I come across some bad shit. I’ll make your life miserable and I apologize beforehand because that’s how much I depend on you.” He pulls back, palming Zoro’s both cheeks to make him look directly into his eyes. “I’m ready to go against the rest of the _world_ for you. As for your mother, well, I’ll manage to prove her wrong, somehow, more by luck than judgment actually. But I won’t worry about it because we have each other, and God, that’s the lamest thing I’ve said in years, just glad nobody is around to hear it.”

Zoro gives him an apologetic look.

“What?” Sanji furrows.

Zoro’s lips suddenly fall into a smirk.

“Don’t tell me–” he gapes for a second, and when Zoro nods, Sanji bites his bottom lip in frustration. “Since when?”

Kuina speaks from behind the door, voice deep and mature like a proud Beta, “Since Samguk Yusa, but I guess you didn’t read it seeing how busy you were.” She chuckles, knowing her brother will too.

“Dude!” Sanji rolls his eyes but settles them back on his mate’s sharp ones, “You should have said something!”

“I needed her there in case I went –” he hesitates for a second, “You know, berserk?”

So she’s heard everything, the poor thing, Sanji thinks now; it sucks to be a Beta at times like these.

“And just so you know,” Kuina says, “I had two eargasms.”

“Kuina!” Zoro chides, but a laugh soon escapes his lips. And the other two laugh jointly as well.

“Sanji?” Kuina regains her composure, speaks more maturely now. “You didn’t cause any of this.”

“Technically, I did.” He corrects her, his eyes falling to the floor but his arms stay wrapped around Zoro’s neck. “You heard what Chopper said, what _Mrs. Ronoa_ said, it was my blood that caused all of this, and this is the part that I just can’t process, you know? I never meant for this to happen, especially not to my mate. But it’s still on me.”

“It’s not.” Zoro sighs, “J, how many times do I have to repeat myself?”

“Sanji,” Kuina tries again, “I’d easily open this door and punch some sense into you, but then that idiot next to you might claw my face so I’ll refrain from resorting to violence.” She lets out a heavy sigh, a sigh that maybe has carried more than she thought it did. “This wasn’t just some random encounter, Zoro chose you by instinct, his inner wolf chose you and that’s something so rare and beautiful it almost never happens and you’re going to love it once you’ve learned the truth about it, but that’s a story for another time. My point now is nobody knew what your blood would do to his supernatural being so we can’t exactly blame you for my brother’s condition, and who knows, maybe him turning into an Alpha Lycan is better for our family and for his pack. Stronger, faster and smarter? Now that’s something I’d purchase if there was a price.”

Sanji acknowledges her attempts to make light of the situation so it won’t seem like it’s his fault. He appreciates her efforts and Zoro’s, and just for their sake, he’ll pretend he’s convinced that none of this is his fault, when in fact, it is. Sanji looks back into Zoro’s eyes, and for some reason, he can’t drag his gaze away. His eyebrows twitch. Oh crap, looking into Zoro’s dark eyes gives him the sensation of drowning. He hears Kuina saying something in between the lines of “Chopper is such a dweeb” and “all mothers are alike” and even though he wants to open a debate about socially-awkward bunnies and control-freak mothers, the tip of Zoro’s nose sliding along his neck warns him against it, and he relents with a contented sigh as his eyes roll and almost cross under his lids.

Zoro leaves a trace of hot breaths over Sanji’s sensitive skin, and he rejoices when his hands go into his hair, caressing smooth strands to feel them. Zoro kisses the skin behind Sanji’s ear and apparently it’s a sensation Sanji wants to fall into forever seeing how his braced leg buckles. Zoro pulls his mate to him, leaning back on the mat and ushering the other to do the same, and he does, reclining bodies together. Zoro nudges Sanji’s forehead so he’d lift his head, and the latter raises his gaze at first, doleful eyes silently begging, and Zoro surrenders because he is more than pleased to abide. Slopping into his mate’s space, he places his slightly parted lips on Sanji’s kissable ones, and the two of them fall into a gentler yet burning kiss.

Assured that her brother and his mate are right behind this door, tangled in each other, safe and happy –well she doesn’t know about happy but she’ll take what she gets– Kuina closes her eyes and lets an amiable smile invade her lips.

 

********

 

He’d have snuggled some more, but the buzzing is pulling him off of sweet oblivion. Sanji opens his eyes with a grunt, and the first thing he sees under the faint light of the lamp, is Zoro’s sharp eyes on his.

He smiles inadvertently, and Zoro mimics it.

“About time.” The latter notes out, “We don’t wanna’ get busted.”

“You’re so unromantic.” Sanji chortles. He stretches a little and sighs out a lazy yawn. Looking at his surroundings, he frowns and scratches the corner of his jaw. “What time is it?”

“No idea, really.” Zoro offers, “It’s morning though.”

Sanji sits up lazily and yawns more. Last night’s fun catching up on him in the spurt of fatigue and more sleepiness. “How’ you feeling today?”

Zoro shrugs, “Peachy.” his eyes widen gradually, “No sore limbs, no pain and no fatigue. I feel amazing.”

“Huh.” Sanji huffs; well, unlike him, Zoro seems to even sound refreshed and healthy again, and he wants to dish it back at Zoro’s face how being rough and fast took a toll on him, especially on his ass. But he’s not so insensitive as to lump the blame at Zoro’s feet alone, he was the one who told his mate he wanted a ‘good fucking’, and Gosh, does it sound so embarrassing now that he’s back from his ‘feel trip’. “Know what” he starts, looking at his mate with narrow eyes. “I think this is where all that pent up anger was coming from” saying so, he palms Zoro’s sack, hearing the fabric of his sweats rustle. “Guess Chopper wasn’t wrong after all when he said I was your cure.” He grins playfully.

“Yeah well, I’m grateful for small favors.” Zoro moves his free hand to his mate’s back, sliding it to and fro languidly. “One of them happens to be my mate gets a personality change when sloshed with alcohol.”

Sanji reels his head just enough to look at his mate, a flush flowing over his cheeks, “Now, don’t hold that against me.” He raises his warning index, “I get tipsy, but that’s about it. Last night was different.”

Zoro looks into his eyes, smirk deepening with mischief, “Yea? How?”

His brown eyes dart away, but Zoro’s hand on his hip squeezes, willing him to speak, so he looks back at his mate after having found the word.

“Anchor.”

Zoro furrows.

“We’re each other’s anchors.” Sanji explains, leaning more so he’d take Zoro’s lips in his. Pulling back now, his lips break into a very happily incandescent grin. “And I guess I needed a reminder” he shrugs, “Also, I was kinda horny.”

At this, Zoro cocks a brow.

“I mean bringing you down to a peg along with that shitty attitude of yours, who in their right mind would discard the opportunity.” Laughing, he cranes his neck once he hears the buzzing again and he realizes that it’s his phone reminding him of duties, responsibilities and a life back in Wano he shouldn’t ignore. Finally, he sits up and leaves the cot. “I bet Zeff is biting down on his knuckles. I already called in for sick leave, so I have no idea what it’d be now.”

Zoro sits up soon after, cracking his neck for a second before following Sanji’s movement with his eyes.

Sanji rummages for his phone until he finds it over the table, he checks the caller’s ID, and soon the crease over his brows deepens, and then he quickly shuts his phone and thrusts it into his pocket.

It all doesn’t go undetected by his mate.

“Who was it?” He asks, sharpening his hearing for any lies or possible fabricated lies. Spying, so to speak, and even if he knows it’s wrong, he also knows it’s necessary.

Sanji shrugs and wets his lips. “Nobody important.”

That’s a lie all around.

 

 

 


	23. Chapter 23

 

 

 

Blinking the sleep away, Kuina’s mind comes to register the fact that she’s nodded off at some point and it’s about time she takes Sanji back to his room before they all get busted  and disemboweled by her mother.

She opens the door which creaks. “Good morning.”

Zoro and his mate spin their heads to nod at her in return.

Now, she is a Beta with excellent deducting skills, and honestly, it won’t need a genius to see it, but you’d totally cut through the tension in this cell. And as much as she wants to push the issue and get a few sneak peeks on just what exactly is going on, she knows it’s not in her place to pry.

“Not to interrupt but he needs to go back to his room.” She even looks apologetic.

Zoro is giving one of his rare I’ll-intimidate-you-to-death glares to Sanji, who in return, only smiles awkwardly and nods at the two siblings, “Guess this is my cue.” Saying so, he storms out of the cell without even a sideway glance.

Kuina looks at Sanji’s back going farther and finally disappearing, and then she looks back at her brother. “What was that about?”

Zoro shakes his head and yanks his ties. “Could you undo these for me?”

“Where’s my ‘pretty please’?” She intones, and the glare her brother sends her way puts a definite stop to her early banter. “Alright, don’t growl.”

He casts his eyes down and listens as the ties jingle when she removes them, “I’m growing bored stiff in here. I really need –I _have_ to get out.” He starts, “Kuina, mother said the next spinal spasm won’t happen until a few days from now, I think I’m not dangerous until then.”

With the final chain finally removed, Kuina stands by her brother’s cot and crosses her arms over her chest. “Alright, I can do that, and before you smile dopily at me, I have a condition.”

Zoro knits his brows in a way that makes him look like a five year old. It makes her smile fondly at the nostalgic image.

“You won’t be allowed outside the villa–”

And Zoro is already shaking his head. “What’s the point then?”

“Let me finish first, cowboy.” She says in an authoritative tone, “If you want to venture outside, you won’t go alone.”

“What, you’ll tag along?” he demands, now swinging his legs from the bed and onto the floor.

“Someone has to keep you in check, and I’m the only free Beta available, so.” She puffs out her chest proudly.

“Yeah, not gonna happen.” He grunts when he stands up. Yes, he’s feeling a little sore, but so much better than the aftermath the past couple of days’ torture has left him with.

“Then you can forget about leaving these walls.” She counters.

He approaches her until he’s a stride’s length away from her, “You know, I do want to test my new acquired powers, so unless you’re volunteering to be my punching bag, I suggest you keep your bossy attitude to yourself.”

“I’m coming _with._ ” She enunciates it for farther implication.

Zoro mumbles something about inconsistent older sisters and their aggravating tenacity as he walks past her. “Fine,” he bitches, “Do what you want.”

What, what was that, did he just give up? Did she just win an argument, with Ronoa Zoro no less? Man, she wants to shout it out loud as if she’s just done a back-flip and the fact that no one was there to see it won’t stop her from patting herself on the back, but she refrains, only complimenting herself with ‘well done, Kuina’ and ‘I’m awesome, I deserve a medal’.

Kuina practically floats from the cell towards Sanji’s room, counting on a thought now that he wouldn’t turn her offer down to come along with her and his mate. She knocks on his bedroom door a good few seconds, but the shuffling coming from the inside tells her Sanji is either taking his clothes off, or wearing them back on. When he finally opens the door for her, she eyes his garments, the same ones he was wearing when he first popped up here.

“Going somewhere, Sanji?” She is confused but masterfully hides it with a tilt of her head.

“Um,” He rubs his neck with a little too much force. “My boss just called, said to hurry back because he couldn’t count on any more delay.”

“Sanji,” she smiles, that sort of smile that makes her look like she’s undergone Misogi meditation under gushing waterfalls and bloomed into a wise monk. “You know better than to lie to a werewolf.”

“And I’m sorry but you know better than to spy on my heartbeats.” He fumes, momentarily looking away to rein in his anger.

Realizing the hints of change taking place in front of her –first with her brother and now his mate– Kuina comes to a conclusion “Did you guys have a fight?”

“What, _no._ ” He looks genuinely confused, and it sends her worries away.

 Good, so they aren’t fighting, what then? “Then what is it so important that you have to lie for it and leave here?” she wraps her arms over her chest and waits.

“Miss. Ronoa,” he starts, but she cuts him off when she tells him to call her Kuina, no honorifics. Which makes his eyebrows tremble, and it’s that far-fetched that it’s made even his resolve falter. “Look, Kuina, I have a situation back at home and I need to be there ASAP.”

“What about my brother?” She doesn’t sound or look worried, she rather looks perturbed.

“I’ll come back as soon as I can.” He tells her hurriedly, his hands clapping together in a pleading manner. “It won’t take long, maybe just a few hours? I’m not sure, but I can make it here by dawn.”

Kuina looks away for a fraction of a second, pondering, but then she shakes her head. “You do know that your blood is the main reason Zoro goes into detox, don’t you?” she hints, and it works when she sees guilt planting itself over his features, “This is not a matter to mess with. Zoro may go into that painful process all over again if you go away. I can’t take that chance.”

“Kuina, I promise it won’t take long!” He coaxes, approaching her for good measures, “I need to be there, okay? It’s urgent; I wouldn’t go if it wasn’t.”

She gulps her hesitation. She likes Sanji, she really does, but her brother’s safety comes first. “I’m sorry” Is all that she says before turning around and leaving altogether.

Sanji lets out a defeated sigh.

He wants nothing more than to hole up in here and give his mate the support he needs, but there’s something else that he needs to do, that he _wants_ to do, and as much as it hurts to admit, he’d rather do it than waltz in the corridors and hog the blame. It’s selfish, he admits this much. He’s being selfish choosing memories washed ashore over his own mate. And even after the endearments doze they gave him last night he still doesn’t want to learn from his mistakes. He’s not walking away, he promised he wouldn’t. That much is clear. But he also wants to keep his private life to himself; he also has a few duties to go by and a few wishes to go after. And right now, one piece of the puzzle has promised to meet him back in town and he wants to be there.

“Chopper, Tony Chopper?” He croaks, deciding to leave before something, or someone, changes his mind, “I need your help.”

White smoke wafts into the air and Sanji hears the _poof_ that makes itself hearable. When the smoke clears out, he sees a large primitive cauldron with bubbles oozing out from its corner. Chopper moves to its center, scrubbing his fury with a yellow brush twice his size.

“A-are you bathing?” if the steam is anything to go by. In fact, this sort of reminds him of the 59th _Tom and Jerry_ cartoon, _His Mouse Friday?_ Now Chopper only needs to blubber gibberish and holler like a cannibal.

“You disturbed it.” Chopper huffs, “What do you want?”

“Can you zap me back to my place?” He cuts to the chase because that’s how Chopper likes it.

“And risk Ronoa Zoro going into another detox? I don’t think so.”

“It won’t take long, damn it.” He mumbles an impropriate swear, “If you zap me there and back, it will only take a few minutes.”

“And what if I don’t? I’m not your chauffeur.” He shakes a lazy hoof in dismissal, still scrubbing and making more bubbles overflow onto the carpeted floor.

“Then I’ll take one of their cars, and I guess I’ll drive home.” He shrugs, “I’ll leave the calculation to you, and you’re pretty smart, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Giving the deer a hard glare, he adds, “You’re the one who brought me here in the first place, so it’s only natural for me to ask you take me back.”

The brush suddenly vanishes along with the cooking pot, and Chopper appears with a towel around his bottom half, “Although I don’t see why you shouldn’t, but orders are orders.” He raises consoling hooves and shrugs, “and unlike you, I tend to follow them.”

“Okay, fine, choir boy.” Sanji hisses, “I guess I just have to make it hard for Zoro, don’t I?”

“I advise you against it,” Chopper warns. The towel around his middle vanishes now, and he links his hands behind his back, “Mrs. Ronoa has warned you once, she won’t do it twice.” His voice grows gruffer, intimidating, “Listen to me carefully, being Zoro’s mate doesn’t stop his mother from protecting him from you if you proved to be harmful, which you have. So here is my warning to you, pretty boy, Ronoa Zoro might lose his mate if the First Alpha finishes you, he might cry and grief, but he’d mate with someone else soon after. It’s easy, it’s doable and effective. It’s part of our reproducing agenda.”

Sanji clenches his fists beside his hips.

“Don’t be rush.” He advises, “You’ll go back when your Alpha is back on his feet.”

Silence almost rules out its win, but Chopper denies it for it.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other important matters to attend to –” he cuts himself midsentence to look at Sanji with a smug face, as smug as a furry creatures can get. “You are not allowed to leave this place, not my word, the First Alpha’s. She’s made her orders and even if you think you can use one of their vehicles, you can’t.” He chuckles, “Did you think she’d let you –the cure–wander about as free as a ghost? Huh, I think it is you who needs to upgrade on the acumen level.” And he soon disappears as well.

Sanji looks along the corridor, hating the silence that comes after, willing him to think more on his choices which he has no mental strength for at the current moment. He takes his phone out of his pocket and tabs something, ending with a beep and thrusting it back into his pocket with a heavy sigh.

 

Zoro has heard every word exchanged outside the walls of his cell, he’s an Alpha for Pete’s sake. He doesn’t need to intensify his powers like the others to hear what he wants to hear. And he’s heard enough.

Sanji isn’t making any sense.

It was only a few hours ago when he said he wasn’t leaving, but today he is so dead-set on racing out of here and going back home. Zoro doesn’t care anymore. He will follow on his plan for today and give his mate the space he so much wants. It seems that pressure doesn’t really sit well with Sanji, or maybe it does, because sometimes Sanji crumbles. Take his personality change when drunk for example, Zoro isn’t stupid, he figured it out the moment Sanji straddled him. And this is what he is going to get for being a lying little shit.

Kuina walks in on him like that –under the spray of the shower, getting the dried fragments of sweat and other elements washed.

“Has he ever pitched?” She asks. She nestles herself over the toilet lid and swings a leg over the other.

Zoro draws the curtain for some much desired privacy, and mumbles a sluggish ‘fuck off, Kuina. I’m in no mood for your jokes’.

“I’m serious though, honest.” she promises, “So, are you going to let him?” She asks again, scrolling down her phone screen now to keep the boredom at bay.

“Are you kidding, why would I?” He finally interacts and she flings her phone over her lap, happy to get this conversation sailing.

“Maybe he’ll like it,” she shrugs, keeping her voice calm and her face stoic, she doesn’t want to give away her excitement. “Did you even let him try?”

The spray stops abruptly, and she gears up, thinking her brother would lash out. But he only gropes for the body wash, and she eventually relaxes her bones.

“No, I’m not gonna, you idiot.” He says conversationally. True, he doesn’t want to share anything private with her, especially not about his mate. But if anything, Kuina is a one stubborn woman and she won’t let the matter die if he doesn’t give her what she wants now. “Last time I checked, he was shagging like a beast on my lap,” he says, turning the spray back on again.

“All I’m saying is in order to be a better top, you have to bottom, because then you’d learn what feels good and what doesn’t.”

He finally swings the curtain so hard that the rod rattles. He runs his fingers through his wet hair and takes the towel from Kuina gratefully. “He’s a power bottom, Kuina, with strange kinks. He won’t enjoy topping and I _sure_ as hell won’t enjoy bottoming” –and where has Kuina seen an Alpha bottoming knowing the process could turn them into an omega. Sometimes she’s so stupid– “so we’re agreed on that.” He wraps the towel around his waist and walks to the sink. “I don’t think this is the core of that frustration he has piled up, that stupid moron keeps his worries to himself until it backfires, so it’s got nothing to do with switching.”

“So you noticed too, huh?” She looks up at him as he brushes his teeth.

“Of course I noticed.” He shakes his head at the absurdity of the question, “but what I don’t get is what he’s so intent to leave for.”

“Did he say anything before I opened the door?”

Zoro shakes his head again, and he swishes and spits the toothpaste into the sink. “His phone was buzzing, but when I asked who it was he just got antsy, and lied.”

Kuina uncrosses her legs, looking alerted “He did the same when I asked him too.” She gulps, “Do you think maybe something is going on and he needs help?”

Zoro turns round, a smirk tainting his lips, “that guy is a BFF with a handful of magical entities, when a monster shows up, he greets them instead of running the opposite way. Believe me, he’d be the last person who needs help if a magma of spells hit the earth.”

It earns him a chuckle. “So you admit he’s strong?”

He walks out of the bathroom assured his sister is at his tail. “Fearless? Yes, but _strong_?” Zoro pauses by his clot, “I’m not sure anymore.”

“Well, you did tell me about what happened with the Gumiho and your fiancée.”

“Ex-fiancée.” He corrects. He fumbles with the bed sheets, ignoring the conceited grin occupying his sister’s face. “I need some clothes,” he turns around, facing that grin with a pair of his usually indifferent eyes. “Look, Kuina, I know you only mean well with your meddling, but I’m not into these ‘I feel’ statement crap.” He says, “I’d like to retrieve some clothes and crawl out of this hole before mother returns, so you in or what?”

“You do know me, baby boy” She raises pacifying hands, “Would never miss on any fun.”

Sighing with relief, Zoro eyes her pensively for a second, “don’t” he starts, “don’t call me that again.”

“What, you’ll always be my baby brother.”

“Yeah, but that pet name only makes it look like we’re implicated in incest.”

The two of them scrunch their faces at the thought.

“Okay, fine” she sighs, nodding, “I already had breakfast so I’ll wait until you guys eat before we get the show on the road.”

 

At the living room, Sanji is sitting at the table, scanning all the plates and salivating over them. Although, it did cross his mind to dig in before everyone else, but somehow, the owlish eyes of the family members’ portraits hooked to the walls repelled his appetite. He hears that buzzing of his phone again, and he quickly straightens his leg to fish it out. Just then, Zoro walks in, followed by the two betas of his pack. The abruptness of the intrusion makes him fumble with the phone and quickly return it back into his pocket, and then return his hands over his lap.

“Good morning, Sanji.” Keimi greets him with her gummy grin.

“Morning, Keimi.” He smiles back and watches as she seats herself beside Nami –who nods at him as a greeting, and the two sit a few chairs away from his.

Zoro occupies the chair at the end of the table like it’s out of habit. Sanji guesses that the two alphas take the head and end of the table since they’re the strongest, but it still doesn’t agree with him. First, he is sitting next to Zoro; damn it, he’s guessed that by sitting next to the end of the table, he’d get far from his mate, but curse his luck. Second, the two female betas are sitting far from them so it makes it all awkward to be sitting so near Zoro, and honestly? Sanji has a tendency to grow impatient when something like this happens.

“I heard your sister say you two were going out, can we tag along?” Nami requests with a small voice, and it really doesn’t suit her haughty nature.

Wait, ‘going out?’ news flash to him.

Said male puts his fork down on the table and doesn’t even bother with the napkin to wipe the corners of his lips. He uses the back of his hand, huh, uncompromising. “I’ll have someone drive you home. I don’t want you loitering around no more.”

Keimi drops her spoon on the rice bowl. “We want to stay with you. We’re pack, so you can’t just send us back home!”

“I can, and I will.” Zoro sends her a glare. And the way Keimi slouches and pouts makes Sanji feel for her, so he tries to be part of this –whatever it is, for just the mere feeling of belonging. But Nami beats him to it. “I don’t think it’d be problematic if we stayed one more day. Sending us back now is so unfair.”

Zoro, though, doesn’t relent. “Not only it is unfair, it’s final.”

That’s it. Even Nami is looking like she got her favorite toyed snatched. He can’t take this anymore.

“Zoro,” he punctuates the two syllables between gritted teeth, “Could you be more blatant!”

Zoro picks his fork again, stabbing it into the piece of meat over his plate and eating it with no concern to the complaints being thrown at his face, what was that about anorexia again?

Sanji breathes out through his nose before saying anything. “It’s not like they’re wreaking havoc, they just want to stay with their Alpha.”

“That sounds like something my mate should do.” He fires back venomously.

The malice of the spoken words sends Sanji spiraling over his chair, “Zoro,” he heaves out a sigh, bracing his elbows over the tabletop, “it’s different.”

“Mr. Vans” –the other stops him, levering up to his feet now– “I’ve heard enough from you and I don’t think I want to hear any of your crap anymore.” Saying so, he looks at his betas now. “As for you two, you’re leaving today, and that’s it. The last thing I need is you failing your exams.” He takes a large swig of what’s in his cup and immediately evacuates the room.

The two betas capitulate to their Alpha’s order because he isn’t an Alpha just for show.

 Looking at Sanji’s direction now, Nami can’t help but reproach someone to ease some of their famous werewolf anger, and great, perfect target sitting at the seat next to the end of the table, “What did you do this time?” There’s accusation in her tone. Good times.

Sanji raises fluttering eyes and opens his mouth like a fish. “What’s with the accusations now?”

“Those vibes he was giving off weren’t good news.” She tries to whisper but it all comes out in a hissed jibe. “You two are fighting again, aren’t you?”

Sanji scrubs a hand over his face; he can’t believe he just tried to throw one for her team, the brat isn’t so grateful, he finally learns. “Nami, can you _please_ drop it. He’s always giving off vibes, do you have any idea how many vibes he’s given off since the day I met him? Too freaking many, alright? I even lost count when it got to no-back-talk-or-so-help-me-God vibe. So don’t fault me for this time.”

“He would’ve allowed us to stay if you weren’t so selfish.” She points an accusatory finger his way, and he thanks the Lord she isn’t so close so he wouldn’t twist that finger and watch her mewl in pain for throwing insensitive words at him.

“Selfish?” he echoes, “Are you blind? Didn’t you see me trying to convince him to let you stay?”

“Bull!” she snorts, “You didn’t do it for us, you did it for you.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” He scowls at her, somehow, unable to bring himself to look expectant because he knows nothing pleasant comes from Nami once she chose a target to lay her frustration on.

“I’m not a moron, Sanji, I know you stood up for us so they wouldn’t feel upset with you leaving here. Plotting on our expense, just what is it that you take us for?” the way she shakes her head, patronizing him all the while, shows him the extent of her inner anger. These guys have serious anger management issues and he’ll be more than happy to help, free of charges if they could tone their tactlessness down a notch.

“Take it back.” He gives her his most intimidating glare.

“What, you’re saying I was wrong? That that isn’t what you’ve been plotting?” She shrugs a shoulder as if to dare him.

“Damn it, Nami, I haven’t been plotting for anything, alright?” He goes for patient before blood spills, and he’d be at the receiving end of it if that was to ever happen, so better safe than sorry. “I was zapped here without a forewarning. I didn’t know about you coming and I didn’t know Zoro was going to ask you to leave, so you have no right to accuse me of anything.”

“You’re plainly trying to avoid the point here.” She huffs out a humorless scoff.

Yes, smartass, He’s coming to that, “And I didn’t plan to play them for my favor either. I had a situation back at home, ring any bells? But since Chopper refused to take me there, I decided to stay. Thank God I haven’t lost the ability to send a freaking text message, so, yea, it’s taken care of.”

The two female betas fall silent, and Sanji feels as though his facial skin could melt down any second now for how enraged he is, so he nudges the heels of his hands over his eyes, and sighs. “Since everyone is leaving, guess I’ll scoot for now, freaking mint-colored bedding and walls hurt my eyes like the Dickens, guess the yin-yang combo wasn’t so bad after all.” Saying so, he lifts himself to his feet and doesn’t even wait for an apology because he knows that, with how prideful Nami tends to be, the apology won’t likely be coming. “Take care, you two.” And he leaves, too.

Being the only male Ronoa Alpha’s mate has got to have its perks, but Sanji hasn’t enjoyed them yet. All he gets are snarky retorts for taking up a middlemen’s stance, and he honestly doesn’t like that, not in the least. And the way Nami threw allegations at him didn’t serve to bring forth promises of prosperities and something to look up to. Everyone is just so untrusting, and it’s calling for a challenge he doesn’t feel up to.

Pausing at the veranda’s door, he replays the things she said and ‘selfish’ drops on him like an anvil. So maybe she saw through him, he did act selfishly, but on further thought, he didn’t mean to plot for anything on their expense. He only meant well and only now does it register that being too nice really gets you nowhere.

 

Zoro and his sister embark on their routinely practice in the woods. Shrugging off his sweatshirt, Zoro lets go of the few evidences that link him to the society so he’d leap and run like the free wolf he was born to be. Kuina is at his tail, speeding up to keep up with her brother’s unusually fast speed. And only then does it enroll that Zoro is no longer a normal werewolf, and that of course his powers are not regular anymore. She stares agape, admiring the speed and even looking forward to the powers her brother have in store, but also, making sure not to agitate them or her brother until they cross the last obstacle. But she’s happy, she’s happy that she is not dealing with new clients in her office overseas, instead, she’s being herself with her kid brother strengthening their bond.

 

It’s only when the sun sinks behind the mountains do Kuina and Zoro decide to take a break, and they seat themselves over a bolder, looking out the mountains surrounding theirs.

“Been thinking,” Kuina starts, “Maybe you should work on enhancing your pack’s manners.”

“Okay, random.” Zoro scoffs.

“No, no” –Kuina lifts a hand– “I really mean it, your pack tends to act like you, like they’re influenced by your attitude.”

“If that’s who they are then even I can’t do anything to change it, it’s not like there’s a button to push and change everything to the way I want.”

“Okay, so maybe you’re right.” She purses her lips and nods, “but they can at least change their attitude towards your mate.”

He looks at her now.

It makes her smile, the fact that Zoro is alert the moment Sanji is brought up; but she soon hides her smile when she remembers the person they’re talking about. “You heard them this morning, especially Nami.”

“Look,” he swallows down his retorts because they’re still talking about attitude, “Sanji can fight his own battles. But as long as he doesn’t do anything about it, he’s to blame if things don’t get better for him.” He shrugs slightly like he is talking about the weather.

“Sanji is too nice to put them in place, and if they don’t start respecting him as your mate, they’re not going to respect him as a person either.” She says, her voice calm, making her sound like the mature adult she is supposed to be outside the norms of werewolf behavior.

“Give it a rest and mind your own or I will put _you_ in place.” Saying so, he lifts up to his feet when his sister mutters ‘touché’. “Now, let’s go for one more round before we call it quits.”

 

The sunrays soon bid them goodbye.

 

Sanji is still lounging at the veranda, unmindful to the passing hours only until the darkness encroaches on him. He is suddenly startled when Kuina and Zoro leap out of the trees and land before him. He jolts up, eying their disheveled and rumpled appearance, the elongated claws and Zoro’s bare chest. “Where the hell did you two fall from?” he marvels as his eyes dart to inspect the trees behind

Kuina giggles playfully, dusting off her mud-stained clothes. “From the woods?” she offers, now closing in on Sanji. “I can’t have his skills growing dull on me, can I now?” she says with the inclination of her head towards Zoro’s direction. “So we went for practice.”

Sanji glances over at his mate, who simply flings ‘I’ll be in my room’ in his usually brisk tone and disappears into the house, and then Sanji tucks a strand of hair behind his ear before glancing at Kuina who is currently eying him back with an amused face.

“You guys are adorable when you’re quarreling.” She chuckles happily.

“We’re not.” Sanji denies, he looks away from the admission because it makes even his cheeks redden on their own accord. “We’re as lovey-dovey as ever.”

“I’m sure you are.” She nods suggestively, and for a silent moment, she only gazes at him until it’s uncomfortable. “Say, you want to hang out tonight?”

Sanji only squints at her.

“My brother and I were planning to go out for dinner, maybe you should come with.” She shrugs in a slow motion. “I mean we can’t keep you locked in here all the time, and we can’t have you jetting out at the first chance you get –”

He blushes at the insinuation.

“So I was thinking it’d be more fun with you there.”

After some apparent hesitance on his part, Sanji shoves his hands into his pockets and presses his lips on one another. “It’s fine.” He decides, “You two need that quality time together, sibling bonding and all.” He beams radiantly, “Besides, I don’t want to be in the way.”

She rolls her eyes in a dramatic manner and huffs out an enormous sigh. “I’m going to clean myself and dress up, and I’d better find you all dressed up and tidy when I’m done.” Saying so, she tries to walk past him but Sanji’s delicate hold on her wrist stops her.

“Kuina, seriously, I can’t come.” He gulps until his Adam apple bobs.

She shakes her head to move her hair away from her face, and then she boldly pins him with a knowing eyes, “You know, one of the advantages of being the older sister is that I always get what I want, and when I say you’re coming along, you are, and there’s no way around it.” She grins, “I’ll see you in twenty minutes.” With that being said, she taps him on the shoulder and disappears inside the house too.

Sanji chews on his bottom lip, studying his options and coming up with scenarios that would occur with him accompanying the evil sibling. On a second thought, going with Zoro might not be a bad thing after all; he’d get on his good side and get rid of some of the friction growing unbearable between them, and who knows, he might even stop Zoro from giving him the cold shoulder. Be that as it may, Sanji comes out with another conclusion that finally sets his mind on the rail: staying home sky-gazing has got to become boring after hours. When he goes back to his room, he finds a neatly posed grey suit over the mint-colored bed with a pair of shiny loafers on the floor, and it makes him laugh.

These are signs.

Even God doesn’t want him going out for dinner, especially not with the Ronoa’s.

Sanji’s memory gifts him with nothing of him in a suit. He never tried to wear one and he certainly isn’t going to start now. Because one, he would look ridiculous in a suit, and two, tying a necktie looks really complicated; it looks like only geniuses can work it out and even thinking about the possibility of him trying to tie a tie –regardless of Kuina’s orders, takes him off the proverbial ramp of the usual flannels and pants style. But Kuina won’t probably let him have it his own way.

Sanji spends less than he usually does taking a shower because it occurred to him at some point that making the brethren wait wasn’t going to be a good idea. He uses some of the toiletry kit –that’s also been placed on the vanity table by God knows who, starting from the hairbrush to the deodorant, and then the perfume bottle. He puts his suit on and flattens his hair down, and when it comes to the tie, he only flings it over the bed in hopes nobody nags him about wearing it.

Kuina is calling him out while pounding on the door, and by her voice, she really sounds like nothing is going to stop her from having fun today.

He opens the door for her and he beholds her red fitted dress with a square neckline cut quite low, and her curly hair, while she eyes his collar and his hair, and by the looks of it, she doesn’t like what she’s seeing. “Allow me.”

“You look beautiful, Kuina.” He compliments, watching as she ruffles his hair a little bit and opens the first upper buttons of his dress shirt, exposing his cleavage.

“That’s better.”

 

Outside, they find a beautiful white Tesla X waiting by for them.

“A family car, seriously?” Kuina grouches, “Give me a break.”

“What’s wrong with this car?” Sanji asks, because hey, it’s a beautiful car.

“Oh nothing, if you’re going to a _church._ ” She huffs, “You wait here until my brother comes down, I’ll go get a different car from the garage.” She walks down the porch, high heels hitting the dried cement, and then she takes the left turn, vanishing from his sight. Sanji on the other hand, watches the darkness of the wilderness growing intense, whispering as the wind blows between the tree lines. It reminds him of something, almond-liked eyes widen as the reunion floats back up. Yes, it reminds him of his and Zoro’s first encounter. That was probably the day his life took a different turn. Now, he’s not only mated with a werewolf, he’s officially become part of Zoro’s pack. The thought alone warms his heart. He feels more than just nostalgic, he feels greedy for a reassuring touch from his mate because the silent treatment has finally taken its toll on him, and he doesn’t know if he can take any more of it.

As if hearing his inner prayers, Zoro steps out of the front door, all graceful in his long, open dress jacket and shiny loafers, his black trousers and necktie, and of course, his white dress shirt.

Sanji’s heart moves in a fluttery leap, and then it hits him, the sudden and the amazing realization that this heavenly handsome man is actually his mate, his alone.

 

 


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Star guest: Kuro as himself

 

 

His only...

He almost drowns in his thoughts alone; he almost even melts in the heated feelings flooding over him. And even though it takes all of his strength not to, he eventually looks away and clears his throat.

“Kuina is getting another car from the garage.” He informs him of what he was told to say, and glances over the direction Kuina vanished to. God, he wants to skip his skin and hide somewhere, he can feel Zoro staring at him, feels the weight of his gaze heavier than usual.

Without any warning, Zoro brings his hands to Sanji’s collar, making the latter flinch so hard. “Showing off your skin, Mr. Vins?”

Said male looks back at Zoro, fighting but failing to look away again because Zoro’s hypnotizing eyes are on full force and nothing can weaken them. “I –” he starts, “It wasn’t really my idea.”

Zoro buttons back his shirt, adjusting it from the collar.

All the while, Sanji keeps looking at his face because, _damn it, he’s_ so _close._ But the most amazing thing about this is that Zoro doesn’t, not even once, look back into his eyes. Which, to be quite frank, excites Sanji.

“I’m sure it wasn’t.” Zoro says in his velvety voice. When he is done, his hands linger just enough to brush over Sanji’s neck, sending delicious shudders down his body. Surprisingly after that, Zoro locks eyes with him, leaning in even closer until it gives Sanji the impression that he’s going to be kissed, but he doesn’t. Zoro only ghosts his lips over Sanji’s jaw line, breathing in his scent.

Sanji then realizes another thing: even Zoro can’t take too kindly to keeping from touching Sanji. And the way he grazes his teeth over Sanji’s jaw proves it. The graze is merely shallow, not too deep and not too faint either. It’s a movement that drives Sanji crazy with unspeakable feelings, which, if he cared to analyze, has got lust categorized at the very forefront. He brings his hands to Zoro’s hipbones, rubbing in slow, small circles. Those teeth nibble just a little deeper, tearing a moan out of Sanji’s lips, and judging by what follows, Sanji can tell even Zoro is aroused because he’s just forced his teeth even deeper and grinded on Sanji’s crotch.

“No.” Sanji sighs pleasurably, “We can’t. Kuina.”

Zoro stops immediately, pushing off of his mate in a nonchalant manner that leaves Sanji baffled. Shame. So he clears his throat and looks up at his mate in a goading manner, “Let me be clear with you, if you ever call me by my last name —I don’t care if you’re the first male alpha, I’ll slap you so hard your head will spin off your neck.” His expectant eyes glitter when he stares back at his mate. “You understand?” he almost chuckles imagining that.

The shock on Zoro’s face morphs into a genuine smile, he nods affirmatively. “You got it.”

“Good, now where’s Kuina?” he looks at the same direction she vanished to and then a black Audi A8 is smoothly sliding down the walking trail, pulls over when it reaches them. Sanji bows to peek inside from the passenger’s seat. He can’t help but whistle.

“Ina,” Zoro blows out his frustration, “We’re not clubbing.”

Said woman gets out of the car with a leer pulling at her lips, “You know what you need?” she starts as she saunters towards them, “You need to chill out a little bit, bro, you’re too stiff.” She looks at Sanji. “Right, Sanji?”

He nods fervently.

Zoro rolls his eyes and walks to the driver’s door, wrenching it open, slides in after throwing ‘as long as you take the backseat’ at Kuina.

“You sexist!” both Kuina and Sanji gasp in unison. When they realize they dislike Zoro’s know-it-all attitude on the same level, they give each other a high five. They have their own alliance now.

Sanji then opens the passenger’s door to Kuina, feigning 'gentlemanliness' just to spite his mate. Not knowing that he's the princess here. And Kuina, apparently, figures it out so she plays along, “Oh, Sanji, you’re so sweet, total husband material,” she coons, “We’d make a wonderful pair!” And I'd peg you senseless if I had a cock, she muses to herself.

Sanji only grins because one, he likes where this is going, and two he doesn’t really want to add fuel on this since it’s sufficient. But, horror of horrors, it doesn’t work on Zoro. He wonders why (which Zoro will keep to himself because he doesn't want his head spinning off his neck); so Kuina switches tactics. “With that being said, Alphas’ mates always get the front seats, Sanji. Sort of reserved especially for them, it’s this family’s law. So even if you want me to sit there, I’m afraid I can’t.”

Eventually, Kuina sits at the back and Sanji rides gunshot.

Sanji shifts in his seat, all signs signifying how uncomfortable he is with the silence. And when Kuina tries to liven it up a little because she knows damn well Zoro favors silence over everything else, so he is unlikely to feel their misery, she turns the screen radio on and waits as a song plays, but Al Geen’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’ isn’t exactly helping in enlightening the mood in here, so she switches to a different station. Nicky’s rapping blasts through the speaker and, honestly? Kuina wants to punch someone at this point. She changes the station again and Beck’s ‘Loser’ tells her what she doesn’t want to hear. She feels like a loser changing from a station to another, and although she has a thing for the guy’s hair, a song about chimpanzees is the last thing she needs on top of the Zoroic silence inside the car. So she changes the station again.

Sanji’s had enough by now, and before he even voices out his disagreement, Zoro does it for him,

“Kuina, stop playing with that thing like a damn brat.” He grouses, eyes on the road.

“Shut up,” she says hurriedly as her eyes scan the screen, “Um, Sanji, tell me, what do you want to hear?” when he only stares blankly at her, she rolls her eyes and slumps her shoulders. “I mean what do you usually listen to?”

He looks out the windshield and then back at Kuina, and with a shrug, he says “Chris Stapleton?”

“Oh, a country artist.” Kuina woos, curling her lips. “Alright, let’s pick a song of his.” Saying so, she taps a few more times onto the screen, and ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ blares through the speakers like a blessed meteor coming down from the sky. Kuina lasts until the song is over before she interrupts the ride with intermittent swear names, cursing this generation and their awful taste in garbage music. But when Zoro tells her ‘to each his own, sis’ she scoffs and rakes her attention towards Sanji now. “so, Sanji, when is your birthday?”

His eyes watch the road as it slowly clears when they leave the off ramp and come down the highway. “Next month.” He replies.

“That’s soon!” Kuina gasps, “So, any plans on where you gonna’ spend it?”

“Probably at home?” He shrugs, eying her as closely as he does Zoro.

“You’re joking, right?” Kuina blinks gawkily, but when Sanji shrugs, she finds she has to ask this, “Wait, how do you usually spend your birthdays?”

Sanji breathes in until his chest heaves, and then he breathes out. “Used to celebrate it with a toast when my family was still around, but after, um” –he always chokes on the memory of their death; he tries his best to keep a stoic face– “I don’t really. I mean, not since I got the job, but Tsuru bakes a cake for me every year.” Gotta look at the bright side at some point.

“Well,” Kuina starts, now glancing at her brother from the rear view mirror, and as though he understands his cue, he continues for her yet still not taking his eyes off the road. “This year is going to be different; next month, we’re celebrating your birthday together.” When Sanji blushes and looks over his lap, Zoro cups his knee, rubbing in slow motions. “My family, my pack and even my nosy big sister here” –he ignores the way she hisses at him– “We’re all going to celebrate your birthday.”

“You make it sound like I’m some three year old, you do know that I can do without a birthday party, right?” Sanji drawls, the way Zoro is moving his hand is kind of sexy it makes him feel all jittery.

“Wrong,” Kuina persists, “You’re not only my brother’s mate –who is an alpha, excuse you, you’re also the new family member and the new pack member we’ve allowed in to our lives.” She sags on the seat, not wanting to interrupt her brother’s spoiling technique on his mate. “It’ll be a celebration to welcome you.”

Sanji doesn’t comment on that and how it fills him with all warm feelings, he only glances at Zoro, who looks back at him, and the air is suddenly stifling with the scent of admiration and arousal and even a hint of pride, it makes Kuina’s head feel light.

“Alright, you two lovebirds, now can you quit making goggley eyes at each other so we don’t end up in a ditch?”

Zoro looks back at the road but keeps his hand on Sanji’s knee. “’You jealous?”

Zoro can be really childish and vindictive when he wants, Kuina gives him that,  but he should watch out for her sass. “Oh please” she snorts, “I’ll find my knight in shining armor very soon, and I’ll see to it you bite back those words.”

“You’ll need years, Kuina.”

“Zoro!” Sanji chides and his mate shrugs at him.

“Huh!” Kuina hacks out a scoff, “Alight, little brother, just remember you started this.”

“Bring it on, big sis.” Zoro accepts her challenge.

Sanji prays he doesn’t get dragged right into their pending pranks, though he wants first seat rows to watch how everything will unfold. Two Ronoa members getting playful, he’s down for that.

 

They finally reach their destination when Sanji catch the passing ‘Welcome to Foodvalten, Enjoy your stay’ signboard. Zoro drives the car to one of the large buildings, but with each meter the car eats the gravel, Sanji grows listless.

“Zoro” he moans in distress, slumping on the vinyl and tossing his head on the headrest.

The two siblings perk up worriedly, and Zoro loosens the weight on the accelerator so the car would slow down. He looks over at his mate and places a hand on Sanji’s shoulder. “What is it? Is it your head?”

Sanji nods, shutting his eyes and fighting to keep the bile from rising. “Something is out there.”

“Is this the same danger detector you told me about, Zoro?” Asking so, Kuina sneaks her hand to pat Sanji’s head. “He’s in pain.” She informs her brother.

Sanji sits up properly, hugs an arm around his stomach. “Zoro, it’s weird,” he clutches at his head with the other, something far too close to a whimper leaving his lush lips. “It’s like I felt this presence before.”

Zoro takes his hand back and scrubs his jaw, “You mean like one of the things we faced before?”

“Could be,” Sanji answers, face a pasty shade, grimacing, “only it’s less threatening now.”

Zoro pulls over and glances at the rear view mirror to give his sister a silent order, she nods and pushes the door to her right open. She cranes her head out and sniffs in the air of the night. “I know who it is.” She says once she brings her head back inside. “Your ex-fiancée.”

Sanji looks up at his mate, scrutinizing for hints of discomfort or anything chiefly similar, but he finds nothing.

“We can go somewhere else if you want.” Zoro said, “we’re only an hour or so away from the nearest town.”

Sanji shakes his head because A) they drove all the way here and he isn’t about ready to spoil their plans, and B) an hour or so is a lot of time and nobody can spend it crammed in a car for a diner across the earth. “No, we’re already here, might as well stay.” He massages his nape. “Besides, the pain isn’t even that bad” –harsh understatement– “I’m sure I can survive this.”

The two siblings exchange the infamous _look_ , and Sanji has to keep from rolling his eyes at how dramatic they are.

“I’m really fine, let’s just go in there and try to have fun.”

It makes the other two shrivel up and buy his lies with benevolent smiles.

 

They walk into the building and wait for the elevator to come down after one of the doormen pushes the ‘up’ button. He fawns over the Ronoa’s honoring visit today and it amuses none of them. When the elevator’s door finally slides open with a ting, Zoro is the last to enter but Kuina sticks out her foot just when he passes by her, and Zoro trips over, landing on Sanji whose squeak gets muffled by his mate’s shoulder, and Kuina bursts out laughing.

He straightens up and looks Sanji over, noses almost touching.“You okay?”

Oh more than okay, trust him.

“Aw, how suave!” Kuina chuckles playfully.

Zoro turns around, fuming. “I’m so going to get you for this.”

“Give it your best shot.” She clicks her tongue to assert her challenge.

And Sanji almost cries at his misfortune.

 

The elevator stops and slides open, the three walk out, the brother and sister telling Sanji about their great grandfather who built this place and his kin who helped in renovating its suits so it’d become a perfect business construction. The restaurant they’re headed to is at the very top of the building, and Sanji isn’t embarrassed to show how impressed he is as he gapes at the walls and the decorations embed onto the floor. He notices how the servants bow slightly at Zoro and motion the way for him with their hands, while he nods his head in acknowledgment.

They finally reach a right turn in the corridor, two stout bouncers standing watch beside the entrance. And at the sight of Zoro and his sister, the two bouncers remove the few people wanting to come in so the Ronoas could come in. They welcome them in and thank them for the noble visit. Sanji watches attentively as the two siblings ignore the uproar rising at their presence and saunter in like they own the place. Wait, that’s not right, they do own the place.

The next arched door they walk through lead them to a large hall, and by the huge and glittering chandeliers hanging down the ceiling and the 48 inches paintings hooked the walls, also the velvety texture of the lampshades decorating each corner of the dining-booths, Sanji can tell that this is one fine-dining restaurant that he’s never even in his dreams seen himself to go to.

“Pretty fancy for a meal, don’t you think?” it gets out before he could even stop himself, and Sanji feels embarrassed after blurting it out all of a sudden.

Waiters soon surround them, welcoming them and leading them to their table. The three seat themselves in the booth out looking the window. Sanji cornered to the wall by Zoro next to him, and Kuina in the opposite seat. Sanji then gazes out the window at the few street lights scattered on the ground, and the bossa nova coming from the main hall tells him a live orchestra is performing ballads tonight.

“Here’s the menu,” a young foreign-looking male waiter hands three menus to the guests, his face scrunching in a forced smile.

“We just got here.” Kuina counters with a hint of annoyance infecting her tone.

“He’s nervous.” Zoro tells her, now looking up at the waiter, “You must be new.”

And the waiter nods ardently.

“What’s your name?” Zoro asks with his sexily deep voice.

“Kuro, sir.” The waiter twines his gloved hands behind his back, keeping his head bowed in respect.

“Well, Kuro” Zoro drawls, “You can wait until I signal to you to come. We’re not in a hurry and you don’t have to impress anyone.”

Kuro nods again, “You’re right, sir.” He says dutifully, “I’ll wait, sir.”

Zoro nods in return, “You’re doing well, for a newbie.” He smiles suggestively, which makes even Kuro smile happily at him before finally leaving.

Sanji leans on the backrest, drowning in the feather-like touch against his back, “That was really sweet, honey.”

Kuina barks another laugh, “Good one, Sanji.”

And the two of them share a flashy high five.

“I was just trying to –” Zoro stops midsentence. The two shitheads are ganging up on him, why does he need to explain himself to shitty brats like them. “Know what, I don’t even care.”

Sanji purrs, whispering hotly into Zoro's ear. “Just don’t flirt with other men again, I get really jealous.”

Kuina looks totally entertained, and guess what, it’s time to burst Sanji’s bubble as well. “By the way, Anji” She starts, and it gains her not only his attention, but his glare at the name as well. “Look around, do you notice anything unusual?”

He is about to give a retort when his mouth suddenly falls open. He doesn’t know how he didn’t notice this before, but now that he did, he doesn’t know how he’s going to act about it. “Everyone is staring.”

Kuina nods. “All of the guests in this room are werewolves, most of them anyway.”

His eyes open wider.

“It’s true that our family’s influence is expanding really fast, but that doesn’t mean we don’t allow other werewolves to make their own packs inside our territories. For us, those packs are harmless; in fact, it’s more like they follow on what we do.” She bolsters her elbows on the table so she’d lean in closer. “The reason why they’re eyeing you is because they’ve heard of the second alpha’s mate, and they’re curious to see you.”

Sanji shrinks in on himself, trying to run away from their eyes. “Well, this is going to be a comfortable night.” He scoffs which makes Kuina chuckle. 

“But don’t worry” she says, and he mumbles a ‘too late’, but she continues anyway, “this is a safe place for you. No one is going to take any photos or talk about seeing you here with the alpha, even though you’re basically like a walking bacon, you just smell so good, not like anything I’ve smelled before.”

And Sanji doesn’t fail to notice the twinge of yellow swirling inside her eyes.

“Kuina.” Zoro is the one who puts a definite end to her 'maybe' _false_ words of reassurance with just a hard glare.

Sanji doesn’t want to get in his mate’s way, and he can tell it’s an Alpha’s thing. “I feel safe already.” He jokes in a very low mumble. He looks out the window for just a moment before he feels the pain in the back of his head growing back, he props his elbows on the table to cup his face and he ignores how Kuina rants on about barbecue and Sanji’s favorites because the pain is a lot more distracting. He lets out a very low whine that alerts the two siblings, and very soon, he is being fussed over by them again.

Zoro’s hand on his nape, rubbing ever so gently, “Does it still hurt?”

Sanji hates the attention, but more than that, he hates to see their worried faces, so he decides to suck it up and wave it off for their sake, “it’s not that bad, probably because there are werewolves in here.” But as though to prove him wrong, the pain intensifies and he quickly drops his face on his palms again, whimpering. The hand on his nape stops its ministration, shifting to his head now to massage it.

“Zoro” she starts, “I think I know the cause. Six o’clock.” She juts her head, and Zoro turns his head towards the said direction only to find Rona walking in with two other girls, stealing momentary attention with their mini tight dresses. Zoro looks back at his sister and whispers a ‘You’ve got to be kidding me’.

“Oh, the Ronoas!” She gushes, ushering her friends to aim their table first and she’d follow after. She approaches their table and with every step, Sanji’s pain goes up a notch. “Good evening to you all.”

“Rona.” Kuina drones, “How are you doing?”

Rona is about to answer when her eyes land on Sanji’s hunched posture and her smile disappears, “Oh, it’s _you_.”

Said male lifts his bleary eyes at her and flashes a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

As if to spite him, Rona mirrors it and faces Zoro, “How’ve you been?” she asks, when he parts his lips to answer, she sits down next to Kuina –who mutters ‘just great’, in time with Sanji’s ‘oh God’, and raises her voice just a little to feign indignation. “You don’t call, you don’t pay my father visits anymore, he’s been feeling really disappointed lately by you, you know.”

Zoro looks fleetingly at his sister and she widens her eyes at him in a ‘you’re on your own, pal’ kind of look. “I’m sorry.” Zoro sighs, looking at his ex now, “I’ve been busy, but I promise I’ll call and come over when I can, how about that?”

“You have to do a lot more than that; you dished me, remember?” She whispers the last part before she sniffles.

And for a second, Zoro does actually look remorseful. He nods his agreement and he even promises to make it up for her. Sanji is only looking at the play unfolding before him, and for a moment, all thoughts of how painful his headache is go ignored when he sees Zoro still treasuring Rona in his own way, but a hand on his thigh under the table fends off all doubts and insecurities.

He glides his hand under the table to palm Zoro’s, and uses his other hand to rub his own nape.

“Alright, I think we’re ready to order.” Kuina looks away, glancing at Kuro and ignoring how Rona gushes on about how starved she is. Said waiter comes scurrying toward their direction, he bows slightly when he reaches their table. When he takes the orders, he bows again and leaves.

“So,” Rona starts, “How’s Mrs. Ronoa doing?”

“Probably better than we are.” Kuina scoffs, someone save her! “She’s fine, thanks.”

“So she met your mate, who is a witch.” Rona sneers, but Sanji can see her eyes not smiling, “I hope she’s satisfied.”

“I suggest you mind your tongue, Rona.” Kuina drawls with malice, “Sanji is a lovely person, perfect for my brother.”

“Oh I didn’t mean he wasn’t.” The girl denies, using her hands to emphasize her point, “I mean he was pretty cool when we fought. I’m still finding my feet after the gush he left on me last time..

Sanji winces at the memory, but he doesn’t feel any guilt because if memory served right, Rona was trying to murder him back then. It's true that he stole her fiancé, but the devil is not always in the details, it'd be dressed in a mini floral dress.

“So I’m just trying to make sure that he is where he belongs.” She pushes her fringes behind her ears.

“Thanks for worrying about me, Rona.” Sanji rasps, how fucking sweet of her. “You’re just so sweet considering the last we saw each other you tried to claw me to death.”

“Those were bad misunderstandings, nothing more.” She lets out a panic-stricken stutter. “But let bygones be bygones, right? I hope we can start anew.”

Sanji wants to holler ‘never’ because just her sitting there doing nothing to physically harm him still manages to put him in pain, but he can at least admit her courage to put their conflicts at the door and come down clean. He nods and smiles, this time, his smile is unpretentious. “Sure.” Saying so, he twines his hand with Zoro’s that’s still on his thigh.

 

A long serving of dishes, bowls and bottles make its way to their table. Sanji and his former nemesis eye everything with drooling mouths.

They eat in a more comfortable mood, and even though Sanji wants to chomp large bites and even masticate the bones, his headache prevents him. He only chugs down a few sips of the merlot before leaning back with a sigh, listening to the dishes rattling and glasses clanking across the hall.

Kuina looks at him assiduously as her wrinkles crease deeper, “You haven’t eaten anything.”

Sanji lifts the glass of wine, “I’m full, thank you.”

“You’ve lost your appetite?” Rona asks now, her lips glossy with the meat juice, “You coming down with something?”

Sanji almost retches at the sight but he looks out the window to fight the feeling, “I’m fine.”

Zoro turns towards his mate just as much as the confined space can allow him, and then he glides his fingers over Sanji’s neck in a slight touch, “remember that pain-relief trick I told you about the other day?

Sanji looks back at his mate with expectant eyes. “Yea, I do.”

“I can do it for you now and you won’t feel any more pain,” he stops just as Sanji’s face lightens up, “but there’s a rub” he studies how Sanji’s lovely face drops and scowls instead, “It’s going to make you feel tired, really tired, and you might fall asleep too.”

Anything but pain, is the only thing running inside Sanji’s head. But he remembers a text message he’s received earlier and suddenly he realizes he can’t fall asleep. So he shakes his head, “It’s alright, it’s not that bad.”

“Sanji,” Zoro bites down his bottom lip to keep from bellowing, “I just checked, you’re in a hell of lot of pain.” He glances over at his sister who is currently furrowing worriedly at Sanji’s condition, and then back at his mate. “Alright, here’s the deal, I’ll pain drain you, but only a little so that the pain isn’t so intense anymore.”

Sanji studies his options, and really, they all lead him to the same thought, anything but this pain; he’s always hated migraines and now someone, not just anyone if he may add, his mate, is offering pain transference, charges free. So who is he to say no?

“Alright” Sanji croaks, “only a little, okay?”

Zoro gives his mate an acquiescently benign smile that only Sanji sees, and soon, even his heart melts away along with his will. Zoro then presses his fingers on Sanji’s neck, groaning something about ‘not that bad my ass’ and honestly, Sanji can’t tell what from what because he’s suddenly starting to feel the pain going away and being replaced by a very soothing feeling, a cozy and painless trance. He doesn’t want to get lost into it though, a phone call is coming tonight and he needs to be up and awake when it does. So he brings his hand to Zoro’s wrist and pulls it away, “that’d be enough, thanks but I’m fine now.”

Zoro acquiesces to his mate’s wish, pulling away eventually.

 

They finish eating with Rona telling them about the establishment her father’s been working on, and even Kuina shares with the girl her own professional experience overseas and they eventually come out with the promise of collaboration between the two families. Sanji only listens to the work-related talk and it takes him back to the shop he works at, he misses every minute of sitting at the counter waiting for clients to come by, he misses the shuttling between his workplace and Zoro’s house, God he misses the food he eats at Coby’s father’s diner. Nothing compares to that, none of this compares to the simple life he grew up in all these years.

“There’s no place like home.” He says on a smile.

The three of them bring their chatter to a halt, faces twisting into frowns.

“I really like the music here,” he says, his tone deliberately casual, and then looks at Zoro who is now wiping the corners of his mouth with a white napkin. “You done?”

Said male only shrugs in return.

“Great.” Sanji quirks another thin smile, leaning in closer so his mouth is on his mate’s ear, “care for a dance?”

Zoro stands up, he offers his hand to Sanji who eagerly takes it in his graceful long fingers, and playfully pulls him towards the dancing floor. The two mates smile drunkenly to each other all the way to the floor, loving how the proximity makes it feel like they’ve left all the clamor and verbal pandemonium behind and it’s just the two of them, being cherished by each other.

Zoro lays his hands on Sanji’s hips and pulls, bringing him even closer. Sanji places his hands over his mate’s biceps and finally wraps them behind Zoro’s neck, hanging them loosely so he’d move easily heedful not to break their eye-contact.

The jazz-like and rhythmic harmonies resonate through the hall as the two of them dance in slow sways, each of them just admiring how the other feels under his touch. Perhaps, in retrospect, he shouldn’t have come up with this idea, because right now, he can really do without the audience, what with over twenty or so people watching him dance with his mate. Zoro ducks his head to Sanji’s neck, to the pulse point where magical blood is pumping with life. He breathes in a large lungful of his unearthly scent. Sanji closes his eyes, untwining his hands and gliding them through Zoro’s hair, thumbs searing through the smooth strands and touching more than he’d initially planned when he asked this man for a dance. As if to encourage him for more, Zoro guides his hands to Sanji’s back, feeling the heat radiating from his mate; the heat isn’t sickly, nor does it denote to any symptoms. It resembles the one Sanji’s body lets off when he is between Zoro’s arms.

 

The slow-seated beats recede and Zoro pulls away gently, letting Sanji know he wasn’t dancing any more than this, but still appreciated the dance. The latter looks up into his mate’s sharp eyes, loving what he sees.

“Not bad.” He comments, drawlingly.

Zoro smirks, pecking on Sanji’s small but plump lips.

When they return back to their table, Sanji takes his spot at the corner and waits for Zoro to sit next, but said male surprises him when he extends his hand to Rona, asking her to dance. She gapes and hides it with her small hand. She looks at Sanji, and said man understands the hint coming with her stare so he nods, giving her the permission she’s seeking, and then she nods back and places her hand over Zoro’s, hyperventilating as he takes her to the dancing floor. Sanji smiles assuredly when Zoro winks at him over Rona’s shoulder.

Kuina lets out a wistful sigh. “That’s pretty generous of you to share your Alpha with his ex.”

“So are you suggesting what I did is a bad thing?” He tilts his head.

“No,” she shakes her head, “but maybe you should act more possessive of your mate. You see, a lot of omegas and other alphas want to mate with my brother. He’s got the looks and the charisma; he charms people at first glance.”

Sanji chuckles delightfully, “He can’t beat my looks though.”

Kuina chuckles too because Sanji is such a wonderful self-deprecating bastard, “He’s loaded.”

Sanji narrows his eyes and click his lips, “You got me there.”

Kuina laughs this time, “but really remarkable what you did. I just hope she doesn’t start getting clingy to my brother again.”

Sanji looks at the two alphas dancing and at Rona who waves at her two friends excitedly in a sort of ‘look at me, I’m dancing with the alpha’ kind of gesture, and for a moment, he wants to agree with Kuina but this sudden profound knowledge that Zoro is his, overwhelms his senses.

“She won’t, you see, I kind of figured how to use my position as Zoro’s mate, and with one glance only, I can warn people from getting closer to us. Same goes for Rona. I guess I just wanted her to know that she has no luck with him as long as I’m around, and I’ve probably just worded it wrong too, but what I mean is she doesn’t stand a chance and to prove my point, she had to wait for my permission to dance with him, she’s not getting anything else.”

Kuina coils her lips down, unable to hide the fact that she’s impressed. “Alright” she says, “since you already know your way around this, guess there’s no reason for me to meddle in.”

Sanji grins self-assuredly to her.

She claps once, “time for dessert. I’ll order a Pavlova cake and two bottles of White Zinfandel, you fine with that?”

He shrugs. It’s not like he ever tasted white Zin before.

After she tells the waiter to bring her order in, she looks at him again. “Did you like it here?”

Sanji examines his surroundings again, “It looks expensive, but yeah, the atmosphere is really nice in here.”

“If so then why do I get the impression that you don’t like it?” She twines her fingers so she could prop her chin on them.

Sanji shrugs, “I’m not used to” ––he swings his index clockwise–– “all this.” He finally says, “I just think that food is best served in non-fine-dining places, take the street food for example, ever tried that?”

She shakes her head.

“It’s so delicious!” He wets his lips, “the variety and cheapness is what makes street food that famous, and it tastes a lot better when you eat it outside.” He rants on like a child until he is interrupted by the buzz of his phone, he takes it out but still gushes on about the food. “There’s this amazing diner back in town, I’ll take you to it some other time if you want.” He offers as he eyes the screen of his phone.

“That’d be great,” Kuina smiles, “I’d like to go with you some day.”

Distracted, Sanji mutters a drawled ‘right’ before he furrows his brows, “excuse me, I have to take this.” He scrambles off his seat and points at his phone to give some verisimilitude to his lie. “Won’t be long.”

He slides out of the booth and heads out, the bouncer outside directs him to the stairs leading to the roof. He nods his gratitude and takes the stairs, two steps at a time until he walks out of the metal door. A strong wind rumples his hair. At last, he connects the call.

“Hello?”

“Sanji, what took you so long?”

Said male looks around for any trace of a movement, when he finds none, he relaxes. “Sorry, had to switch rooms, anyway, how’s it going?”

“You’re still at Mr. Rono’s place?”

“Ah,” Sanji nods, “Yea, like I told you in that text message, things got really complicated and I couldn’t leave.”

“I see, but you know, you got me really worried about you.”

“I’m sorry, I guess?” Sanji sighs in relief, loving the words of concern and care reserved only for him.

“But then you’ve always been a troublemaker”

They chuckle in unison.

“How’s your grandma doing?”

“Um, she’s doing well. She’s been going out a lot lately, when I asked her where she goes to, she said to the local park. She jogs, can you believe that?”

Sanji can’t help but laugh because imagining Tsuru in outdoor wear does wonders to lift up his spirit. “She’s a lot better than her lazy ass of a grandson, I tell you that.” Saying so, he leans on the balustrades to look upon the empty street and the lonely stray cats and dogs.

“I’m not!”

“Are too”

“’Says the guy who can’t even name three Olympic sports.”

Sanji falls silent, thinking of a good combat to that, but the other spares him when he speaks again.

“I came to town tonight especially to see you; it sucks to know you aren’t even here.”

Sanji’s cheeks turn crimson at the bold revelation, he scrubs his nape with a sweaty hand to hide any hint of his embarrassment, “I was gonna come, but like I said earlier –”

“’Urgent family situation’, got it.”

Sanji shakes his head at the cheekiness and tries to go with his memory back to a few years when his childhood friend finished his sentences and vice versa, to the past when the no-emotional-talk thumb-rule was not doable, to when he and his childhood friend spoke up their minds, unmindful of the reactions the others might have had because the two of them simply didn’t care. But something stops him, something like an invisible force latching its thorns on him from behind, like the threat you can’t shake off.

He turns his head very slowly, slightly parted eyes snap wide open and brows fly up.

“Um, look,” he speaks into the phone after he clears his throat. “I need to go now,” he mutters, “I’ll try to call you again later, okay?”

“Recently, you’ve been really secretive, Sanji.” The other sighs, “Seems like you don’t miss me like I do. Just don’t forget to call. I kind of want to talk to you more.”

Sanji curses because the idiot on the phone doesn’t seem to know how to read the atmosphere, “night” Is all he says in return before he disconnects the call. He looks up towards the door he came from, and two vigilant alphas and a beta are sending him stern glares, and although he tries to gauge up other feelings about them, he comes out with anger and disappointment only.

“Zoro, I can explain.” Sanji tries to scoot closer, but a silent order from Zoro when he lifts his hand makes the other freeze to the spot.

“So let me get this straight,” Zoro says, face devoid of emotions, “You’ve been so hell-bent on leaving my side so you’d meet with another guy?”

“You worded it poorly.” he denies, defiantly, “That’s not how it is.”

“Oh, really?” Zoro’s eyes turn threatening, “Because that’s exactly how it looks to me.” He gazes around and then back at his mate. “There are a few things that I can’t forgive, and I can only handle so much from you.”

“Do you have to throw a hissy fit over everything? It’s not like I fuck the guy!” He counters more forcefully.

“Oh you might as well do.” Zoro grits out, “because I’m done taking any of your crap.”

“Brother, I think –” Kuina tries to mollify her brother’s anger just to keep him on an even keel because having him going down a roller-coaster of emotional instability could threaten all their lives, but he cuts her off with a snide “mind your own, Kuina.” Now turning to face his mate again, “this is your last chance to explain, or else, each can go his own separate way.”

Sanji’s eyebrows twitch unconsciously, and for a moment, he prefers to turn this whole drama into one big joke, “well, this is just great” he barks out a humorless laugh, “One call and you’re already turning this into a soap opera.”

“I’m serous, Mr. Vins. Don’t make me prove my point.” Zoro bellows, any hint of his earlier poker-face is now replaced by sheer anger.

When it dawns on him that Zoro could very much prove his point, it leaves a terrible aftertaste over the tip of his tongue. He squares his shoulders and hides his hands inside his side pockets. The wind that wafts around his trousers makes him feel cold all over; in fact, it makes his entire body shudder at the animosity which hovers.

“It was Trafalgar –” He starts, deciding that keeping the whole zombie thing a secret is not an option anymore. “It was Trafalgar Law on the phone. My childhood friend.”

 

 


	25. Chapter 25

 

 

**Almost a week ago**

 

When he looked around, Law was there, standing right in front of Sanji’s pretty face. He’d seen a lot of terrestrial crap in his life but this, man, had got to be the weirdest: your childhood friend rising right from the dead wrapped in a black coat, dark jeans and plain toe boots. You don’t know whether you want to embrace the moment or run the opposite way –which did cross Sanji’s mind because _hello?_ A dead guy coming back to life; he might as well be some freaking zombie or a hallucination for all Sanji knows. Sanji did neither. He only looked at the taller man before him, and the fucker still had the audacity to smile so warmly like that –like the way he always did when he was still alive and, oh lord, didn’t that sound wrong. His life is _so_ wrong. No, mate, you’re dead and Sanji isn’t going to smile back to a zombie that’s for sure going to feed on his bowels later at dinner, nothing personal, so no grudges.

“J, it’s me.” The other approached Sanji, making him unconsciously flinch and take a step rearward.

Stay the hell away. Sanji wasn’t ready to get devoured in a nonsexual way, thank you very much.

“It’s me, Law.” Saying so, he smiled even wider.

“Stop,” Sanji finally uttered after mustering the courage to look away, “don’t –don’t say his name, he’s not you and you’re not him.”

The ‘fake’ Law –because Sanji hadn’t and wouldn’t even give him the benefit of the doubt– sighed disconsolately, “It _is_ me.”

“No, it isn’t. My friend died a year ago. I saw his _dead_ body in the morgue.” Sanji’s face hardened intelligibly. He lifted a censuring index, “you’re not him. Whoever – _whatever_ the hell you are, you’re just an imposer. Stop pretending to be him and stop bothering me.” Saying so, Sanji turned to leave, but the imposer was soon at his tail. Sanji ground to a halt, he huffed and then faced the man behind him again. “Go away. Leave me alone.”

“’Only if you give me a chance to explain” The other shrugged in a manner that is _so_ Trafalgar Law. The nostalgia, God damn, it hurt like the Dickens.

Sanji, still in shock, raised his voice, “read my lips.” He shouted as if schooling a group of imbeciles, “Go away!”

“You either invite me in today and get it over with, or deal with me harassing you until I’ve told you my story.” The smirk on his face, ah, if only Sanji could wipe it off with a punch to his jaw.

Sanji reined in his anger and swallowed his retort in favor of thinking this over. So what if the zombie is really serious, could this harassment go on and on until he’d heard him out? Sanji couldn’t think of a better torture. But he couldn’t exactly invite him in –a guy he’d just met, and who, by the way, was so brazenly claiming to be Law, the sweet guy who had died bloodily almost a year ago. Sanji scrubbed a sweaty hand over his face, it was like him to attract this kind of trouble this time around, guessed the Gumiho and the Jiangshi didn’t quite fit the standard of his itinerary.

“Five minutes.” Sanji bit out curtly.

The other nodded once affirmatively, “That’s all I need.”

But apparently, it always needs more than five minutes, doesn’t Sanji know.

 

The other guy, the 'fake' Law, the _zombie_ , sat on the sofa while Sanji kept a pair of guarded eyes on his profile as though Satan horns were going to spurt out of the guy’s butt. “ _Well_ ,” he drawled in a hinting manner, “get on with it then.”

“Not even a cup of tea? J, what have you grown into?” Law shrank his face in distaste.

“Have a zombie popping up on your doorstep and then you can preach.” Sanji wrapped his arms over his chest. “Now, your part of the bargain, I ain’t got the entire night.”

The other man nodded his agreement and cleared his throat. “I’ve heard things, rumors really, but word got out and I soon got wind of your relationship with the wolves.”

Sanji’s brows flew up under his fringes, “come again?”

“I’ll tell you everything. I just need you to keep quiet and hear me out. Can you do that?”

The look in his glinting eyes had been the only thing which made Sanji comply.

“A few years ago, I was introduced to the world of the supernatural. I underwent a serious routine of physical training and learned everything that needs to be taught about magical creatures and whatnot, through my mother’s family, and I know I said she and I didn’t get along, but uncle sought me out once I came of age. He told me about my legacy as the carrier of my family’s title, and before I knew it, I was in too deep.” He rubbed the heels of his hands over his eyes until the contours reddened, “I didn’t really know what I was getting into, everything was new to me and I felt capable seeing my family depend on me and deem me proficient and skillful. But, apparently, my mother’s family’s work is kind of a secret thing so I was asked not to say a word about it, not to you or to anybody else. It started getting lonely, not to mention heavy, so very heavy, J, and when your father died, I really wanted to lay it all out for you but I just couldn’t.” Saying so in a broken voice, he looked up into Sanji’s eyes, gauging for his reaction, anything, but Sanji didn’t even give him the satisfaction.

You wanted ears to hear you out, that was all you were going to get from Sanji.

Now get on with the story.

“Anyways, a couple of years ago, the town raised its red flags at a series of gruesome murders, and although we were asked not to get involved, the deaths were going up at an alarming rate and we couldn’t just stand by anymore. So me, and a few other people whom some of were family, embarked on the hunt.”

At this, Sanji raised questioning brows, “hunt? You mean hunters? Your family is a bunch of _hunters_?” and when Law nodded, Sanji just scoffed, “well, that blows.”

A hunter zombie, what else, an astronaut mermaid?

“We did our investigation and we were narrowing it down to the Ronoa’s.” Law looked pleadingly into Sanji’s eyes, seeking his reaction again, just anything. ‘Pretty please’ rotting the air away. The only thing Sanji said after a horrifying moment of silence was, “still not changing the channel”.

Which meant: story time again.

“All the evidence pointed at them, and we couldn’t ignore it anymore, something had to be done, even if our next opponent was someone so powerful and wealthy like the Ronoa’s.” He looked over the table, “I really need that cup of tea.”

Sanji was so engrossed with the story that stopping midway now seemed like a dangerous thing to do, so he only looked around, spotted a bottle of water and he placed it in front of Law, “tea is just boiled water anyway.” He shrugged, “Drink.”

Instead of pointing out the bad hospitality –terrible actually, Law only chuckled, “same old Sanji.” Saying so, he drank from the bottle and gladdened more when it did the trick. “So yea, we closed in on the Ronao’s, but before we even knew it, they were closing in on us too. So you’ve got these two-sided and opposing powers wanting to take the other down. And as you might already know, the pack’s Alpha is a true Alpha –a _born_ Alpha, so when he turned those teenagers, they weren’t just your run-out-of-the-mill kind of werewolf, they were –are ridiculously faster and stronger than anything I’ve seen before and I’ve seen a lot. I called our loss before we even started, told my people something wasn’t right about the case and that maybe we’d had better set that out, but my uncle insisted we engage in fight anyway, something about proving how murderous the Ronoa’s are, especially their Alpha who gives out orders. But I really couldn’t, call it cowardice or whatever, but I knew our chances weighed to zero against a pack led by a true blooded Alpha. So I left, in the middle of the fight, I just bailed out without looking back.”

When Law peered at a spot over the plank, Sanji decides to take him out of whatever memory playing inside his head, “so what happened then?”

Law, as expected, shook off the memory andd rank more water to clear his throat, “A couple of days after that, some snooty chauffeur in a flashy car stopped by the door to my motel’s room, said someone needed to have a little chat with me, thought it was someone coming back from my past to haunt me but then I was in the presence of the First Alpha and her son in the neighboring town, can you even believe it. They were the ones who arranged the whole thing. When the Alpha son and I talked, he clearly said to me that the Ronao’s didn’t have a hand in the murders and that, contrary to what was being said about them, they protect the town they claim, and that those murders had been a great misfortune and that we all had had better work hand-in-hand to stop the killer from taking more lives, which I agreed on completely even if I had my own suspicions. But when we talked more, and my visits to the pack in this town grew more frequent, I learned about a new thing.”

He stopped when Sanji moved to sit on the armchair opposite him.

“They taught me about the history of the Ronoa clan. Seeing how my reputation as a hunter has already made itself clear and how I took a wise decision by retreating from a useless fight, the wolves decided to let me in on something they consider as true heritage.” He sighed bitterly, “I learned about the Founding Legend, and, apparently, I’m some descendant of the Royal Guard of the Ronoa clan.”

“They told you that story too? Geez, someone likes to show off.” Sanji huffed, for a moment, his lips parted into a smile but he soon realized that Law was watching, so he dropped the smile, “anyway, on with the story.”

“When they told me everything, I decided that I needed to do my own research, which means a lot of traveling for me. Also, some of my family’s members who came out alive from the fight threatened to pay me back for bailing out on them, so I went for the Alpha for help.” He scrubbed his nape, “Adenosine.”

“A what?”

“Adenosine, one extra dose can slow your heartbeats and make you look dead.” He said, solemnly, “The Ronao’s know the doctor who took care of it for me, and the gash on my chest? Just a spell conjured up by Tony Chopper, and I assume you already know him” –when Sanji nods swiftly, Law wetted his lips and resumed his story– “though he didn’t want to help at first, but seeing that I’m a descendant of the Royal Guards, he did it anyway. So yea, I wrote that letter to you because I knew you were going to take care of the rest for me, so I went with it.”

When Sanji only stares blankly at him, Law shrugged again.

“That’s it.” He said, “That’s my story.”

“Wait, you said Chopper conjured up a spell, so does that mean he can use magic?” The look on Sanji’s face was pure astonishment.

It confused Law to a degree that he perked up with a cocked brow, “I tell you the story of the past ten years of my life and that’s your concern, Chopper’s _spell_?” He uttered in distaste.

Sanji shook his head, having come to realize the ‘severity’ of the situation, “right. Sorry.” He says hurriedly, now plastering on a serious face for special effects, “so if you’re really the Law I knew, and I’m not saying you are, just trying to see it from your point of view, really; _if_ you really are the real Law, why did you stop talking to me nine years ago? I mean the whole ‘hunter’ thing started when you were of age, that doesn’t mean your decision to shut yourself out of the entire world –your best friend included– was the right thing to do.”

“I know,” the other nodded earnestly, “believe me, I know.”

Suddenly, Sanji had the inspiration to lecture someone, and whoa! Look! Law is the perfect target. But in all honesty, Sanji had kept this buried in too deep, for too long, wanting to move on with his life but always waking up to the memories surging around still. The same neighborhood they used to play at, the old school they used to go to. Every freaking corner reminding him of the precious loss of his friend who, or at least Sanji believed, was never going to come back, when –surprise, surprise– did he ever seize to amaze. This is not the point, if this was the real Trafalgar Law, if this man was really who he was claiming to be, then Sanji had to test him first, right? But strangely, that was not his first concern –well, apparently, Chopper’s spell was– but his second concern, hopefully, was taking that burden off his chest, throw it on someone, let them feel its weight… its brunt. “So you decided I couldn’t be trusted, me, your childhood friend and your best friend, just because some psycho uncle said so –”

“Sanji, it’s true that what my uncle did was wrong, but don’t speak of him in that manner.” Well, he did look offended.

But you know what, wrong words, buddy.

Sanji erected up to his feet. He was infuriated, nothing, not even a werewolf’s bad temper could compare to the rage boiling down the pit of his stomach, “ _and_ , if you’d _allow_ me, who didn’t give a rat’s ass about you before until they had some freaking use for you. I thought I was your _friend_!” his voice almost croaked at that, and then he added in almost a whisper, “But then you continue to prove me wrong.”

Law stood up too, but a little more tentatively than expected, “No, you _were_ my friend, you still are.” He says, “But, J, things were different back then. It was more than just about you. It was a _lot_ about _me_.” He motioned at his chest, “I had to go my own separate way. I had to venture out in life and discover more about myself.”

“And you couldn’t tell me it was as simple as that why exactly?” The smirk on Sanji’s lips was evidently forged.

“I told you, I was asked not to speak a word of it to anyone.” He gesticulated at the walls as if the walls were people, and honestly, Sanji was far too irritated to care. Law exhaled to calm himself, and it seemed like it did wonders. “The life of a hunter is not all sprinkles and confetti, J. I had to undergo excessive training, I had to learn all kind of scary crap, you have no idea how freaked out I was when I learned about vampires and werewolves, heck, I even thought I was gonna get pranked or something, but when mother confirmed everything and admitted that she comes from a family of hunters, I just, you know, it’s like you said, I kind of just shut down on myself.”

“Your mother is a hunter?” He demanded, bewildered.

“Used to be, or so she says.” Law replied, “But it’s complicated about my family and I don’t want to go into all that yet.” He took a careful step towards Sanji, who, surprisingly, didn’t flinch or even step back, and instead, he stood his ground. “First, I need to settle things between us. I don’t want to keep anything from you anymore.”

Sanji snorted, roaming the place with his eyes fleetingly before switching to look back at his friend.

“I mean it.” Law furrowed his thin brows. A trait Sanji was used to seeing whenever Law set his mind on something and decided to tell him instead of keeping things to himself. “When I realized my uncle was brainwashing me into becoming a hunter, talking about bull like legacy, I decided enough was enough. I had to go my own way. I couldn’t blow my cover when the Ronoa’s had already gone through so much trouble to fake my death, and I couldn’t tell you either.” He sighed, a solemn sigh, “but I don’t have to hide who I am anymore. I pledged my services to the Ronoa’s for protection so I can return and continue to live with my grandma.” He took a step closer to Sanji, “and with you.”

Sanji wanted to believe him; oh he wanted to so bad. But Law, if it was really him, was asking for too much. Sanji had no other choice but to voice it out, “I...” he started, swallowing his hesitation before his resolve could fail him. “I can’t. You’re asking for too much.” He rubbed his nape, “I still need to wrap my head around it. I still need to ask you tons of questions.”

“By all means, ask.” Law urged, “I told you, no more secrets. I’m done.”

“Yea well, I’m not.” He countered, “So let’s say you couldn’t tell me back then because I fall in the category of friends –sorry, I mean people that couldn’t be trusted with super important info, so what, you just go ahead and lump your grandma with me? Didn’t she deserve to know?”

Law kept silent, and for a moment, Sanji thought his words were working on his old friend, twisting his little heart with guilt and regret, but then it dawned on him that that wasn’t really the case. “Wait, she _knew,_ didn’t she?”

Law nodded.

“Of course she did!” Sanji said loudly on a humorless scoff, “that’s great…just great!” He darted forward, pushing the other away of his way by the shoulder, “I should’ve known. Her reaction back in the morgue was too suspicious to be real.” He raked a hand through his hair, now settling his hands over his hips, looking at the other as he swiveled around very slowly, “so your grandma knew, and apparently Zoro and his pack knew too, well, is it just me or it looks like I was the only one who was kept out of the loop.”

“J, please” Law’s shoulders slumped in defeat, “I told you things were different back then.”

“Yes, they were.” Sanji gave him a piercing glare, “do you know how?”

Law only kept on gazing into Sanji’s fuming eyes.

“It was all one-sided, _everything_ , from the moment we met.” His voice was strangely droned, “I told you everything because I thought we were friends. I trusted you with my things, with my deepest secrets, but you know what I’ve realized just now, you never, not even once, told me a thing about yourself, everything I knew about you was because your grandma used to be a chatterbox, but you, you were one reserved son of a bitch.”

“That’s basically just part of my traits.” Law whined, “You can’t hold that against me.”

“No, Law –if that’s really you, it’s just you’re so used to keeping things to yourself, to not trusting people, and like someone I know you’re just too cooped up with being a self-righteous ass that you couldn’t trust me enough to be your friend.” The accusatory index pointed at Law’s face was taut, “and I’m so done wondering why I care, why I still remind myself of you when you’re dead –or supposed to be but with the new world order you can’t exactly know which way is left or which is right, and I’m just too tired, alright? You have no idea the kind of pain your death left in me, and I had to watch your grandmother –the paint of sanity slowly peeling off her walls, it was maddening, and I can’t, I just can’t, with you back, and everyone keeping things from me as if to rub it in my face that people like me can’t be trusted, I just can’t.” with a sigh, he sank down into the fluffiness of the sofa, hoping it’d bear the brunt of his flop –which it did with, a moan.

Law remained silent, inhaling a lungful of air until his chest puffed out, and then he let it all out. “Sanji,” he said in a very gentle tone –and if he saw how Sanji’s brows twitched at that, he decided to ignore it. He walked up to said male, slowly sinking down beside him, “You’ve been nothing but a true friend, a great friend actually, and I couldn’t appreciate you the way you deserved.” He wetted his lips, “I took you for granted, and I didn’t really know my loss until I was separated from you.” He turned his head to try to look into Sanji’s eyes, but he could only see his profile. “And for that I’m sorry. I am. You have no idea how hard it was for me too, losing you, and forcing myself to go on without my rotten-mouthed friend, and if you don’t want to forgive me, that’s fine too. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but please, just… one more chance, that’s all I’m asking for, let me try again. I want to be your friend again.”

The silence between them after that was worrisome as Sanji sucked on the very tip of his thump meditatively. When all hope seemed to crumble down to earth, Sanji shook his head and wrapped his arms over his chest, now looking up back at his friend, “you’re gonna have to try a _lot_ harder, bud.”

After a moment of hesitation, Law’s face lightened up with the sweetest smile Sanji had seen in ages, and then he nodded, assured and confident, and altogether trusting.

 

 

**Present time**

When Sanji blurted out the name of you-know-who, Zoro felt the obligation to spare his boyfriend the humiliation of standing before one pissed off true-blooded-Alpha, a prying Beta for a sister and a jealous female-tilted-Alpha, who so happens to be his ex-fiancée, and who also still wants to waste his mate so badly.

Taking in Sanji’s scowl and blush, Zoro has come to realize that confessing that name was really hard on the man, not to mention against his will. And it’s ridiculous how that face, which he gets to see only on a rare basis, is making him tease the life out of him, see how far the lengths he’d go to and for how long Sanji could take more of it. Sanji signed up for this. He should be always ready to take the brunt of Zoro’s possessiveness, his jealousy over even the objects that brush against Sanji’s fingers. So, no, Zoro isn’t going to take back what he’s just said, and he isn’t even going to hint it for that oblivious man.

When Kuina repeated the name of the man who was supposed to be dead, Zoro knew that other werewolves could be listening in on them and he couldn’t risk that too because he is yet to know what exactly has Law been thinking. So after a moment of silence, Zoro told Kuina to take care of the rest while he dealt with his mate. When Kuina nodded wordlessly, Zoro ordered his mate to follow suit as he prowled his way through the spectators. When they were in the car, Zoro couldn’t help but notice how Sanji kept fidgeting with discomfort over his seat. Unless they were in a secluded place away from the prying ears, he couldn’t spoil his mate with his attention; besides, he was supposed to be mad. He had to continue to play his part.

 

And that’s how they ended up in this hotel suit, though Zoro felt amused at how Sanji kept moving restlessly at the reception desk when the girl asked if they wanted a room with two beds or one king bed. Zoro gave her credits for pretending to be unable to read the tension between the two men even with all the eyes trailing them and the hands fussing over them, but he dismissed her fear anyway because he is an important member of the Ronoa’s, and allowed her, and only her, to address the relationship between him and his mate. He was even more amused when she gushed on about how cute his boyfriend is thus making Sanji bow his head with embarrassment and muttering angry nothings about being called ‘cute’ by a girl.

 

Now, Sanji has taken a spot on the corner of the ridiculously large bed to sit on, still squirming like a wet hatchling. Zoro has taken his coat off and pulled a chair in front of Sanji to listen to whatever explanation he prepared.

But hearing this part of the story about Law’s sudden appearance has, in all honestly, rendered him speechless. So Law had gone ahead and made a deal with his mother for protection, only to come back to his old life, as if wanting out of the hunting life was ever that easy. But he can’t fault him for trying. The guy had it rough, being manipulated like that by a close member of your family has got to suck. Not to mention most of his youth was lost in hunting down creatures that were far stronger than him. So yes, Zoro admits the guy is strong for coming out of it all alive, but he’s a foul if he thinks he can come between him and his mate.

“Last time I dropped by yours, Law was in the building.” Zoro says, conversionally. It doesn’t escape him how fast Sanji lifts his head and widens his eyes at him.

“So you knew? All along?” He demands, looking bewildered, but quickly lifts a hand to forestall the answer, “don’t even answer that. Lately, it’s that kind of drill. Everyone knows everything while I stay in the dark, so even if you say you did –knew, I mean, it still won’t surprise me big even if I gasp in shock.”

Maybe Zoro has failed to notice this, but does Sanji ever stop blabbering when his feelings are hurt. And after all this time with his mate, he still doesn’t understand his need to know all. Maybe it’s a humans’ thing, maybe they like to sit at a round table and just gossip about other people’s secrets. Zoro can never understand.

Wait, doesn’t this make him a complete hypocrite. Hasn’t he been wanting the same from Sanji, even threatening him into spilling out words?

Crap, feelings are complicated, jealousy, for one, is more complicated.

“What part of pledged services for protection you don’t understand?” Zoro asks, but he hopes the other can tell it’s rhetorical, “When you first inquired I tell you about Trafalgar Law, I couldn’t, not because I didn’t want to, but because that was the plan, to never speak of him as if he was still alive. To you, and to everyone else, he was dead for all you knew, and we’d gone through some trouble to make it appear so.” He shrugs, now leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, “I take it you understand what I mean.”

Sanji nodded, even if it’s hesitant.

“So what happened after that?” Zoro asks in his deep voice, face stoic.

Sanji wets his lips and looks into _his_ Alpha’s eyes.

 

**Nearly a week ago**

Sanji spent the rest of that night and the next morning contemplating Law’s words. Trying to find faults with them, trying to spot lies in them, but he couldn’t. That man was really Trafalgar Law and Sanji had no choice but to trust this fact.

The only thing that actually took his mind off of things was the phone call he received the next morning. It’s rare to get a call from Ronoa Zoro, it’s even rarer when he is casual and actually making a conversation. So Sanji embraced the opportunity, and for a moment, all his worries melted away and the voice of his mate was the only thing he wanted to hear, until the fucker brought up the subject of phone sex which immediately sent a shiver down Sanji crotch. That aside, something about Zoro’s voice back then just didn’t sit right with Sanji, and although the man dismissed it so nonchalantly, Sanji couldn’t really feel at ease.

It was at lunch break that Sanji met with Usopp, though that wasn’t the highlight of his day, the company was still sweet to engross in. He guessed that the pack had been told to keep an eye on him, and although he wanted to object, he knew he liked the attention, enjoyed it even.

When the afternoon almost came to an end, his unease was still present, faint, but still there.

He closed down early that day because he’d agreed to meet Law at the café near Sanji’s working place. Sanji couldn’t say he felt open to his, or who used to be his best friend, but he tried to be. And from the looks of it, Law appreciated his efforts. They talked about Law’s new job as the new clerk at the only supermarket in town, and how it was still hard for him seeing how people kept their questioning eyes on him.

“I can’t really blame them though,” he said, “walking amongst them after vanishing for a few years and getting killed. It’s hard on them too.”

“You know, if there’s one thing I learned after all these years, it’s that time heals most of your wounds. The people just need time to get it into their heads.” Sanji answered, “They’ll wrap their heads around it eventually, and life will continue, boring as ever.”

Law laughed around the rim of his cup of coffee, “so what about you?” he asked, the traces of his smile faint by now, “you really stayed here this whole time?”

Sanji locked eyes with Law but failed to hold eye contact, “Yea,” he says, now tracing the outline of his cup of Mocha, “we didn’t all have a chance to go on adventures, some of us had to stay and provide. Though it’s started getting boring, but I don’t think I’d want another life.”

Law gave an amused chuckle.

“What?” Sanji prompted.

Law shook his head very slowly, “it’s just… you haven’t changed one bit.”

Sanji wanted to highpoint the compliment for all the people doubting him. However, Law was wrong. Okay, so maybe Sanji’s personality hadn’t changed. Most of it anyway, but with all that happened, how in the world could he not change even one bit? So, no, “I don’t think that’s true.”

Law grew a crease over his forehead, “what makes you say that?”

“Just because” Sanji shrugged, “anyway, it’s starting to get late, and I promised to pay your grandmother a visit,” he lifted off to his feet, now smirking gingerly, “she invited me over, said we needed to celebrate you coming back home.”

Law only sighed bitterly, but the fondness over his face was anything but. “She’s always exaggerating.”

 

On the way home, when traffic was barely active under the clouded night, the two came across an exotic store with a signboard over the door that read ‘Nefartari Sees Your Future’. When Law whined about how much of a fraud these people who pretend they can read the future are, Sanji only wiggled his brows. And even though he told Sanji that he’d be giving his money for false readings and that he would regret it bad, Sanji insisted they go inside and see the future of their friendship. After an exchanged look, they decided you only live once and wouldn’t wasting your money on something useless like this be a good idea to have fun with a friend who vanished, died and came back unscathed?

The door chirped at their entry. The two men stood in the middle of the place, intrigued by the interior. The décor looked ancient and expensive, the wind lights, the teapots and the lanterns, and the carved writings all over the walls and plaster pillars looked very _Arabic_. The smell of burnt diffusers and incense was too intense that it infiltrated their noses. Sanji knew he was better off than to judge a place by its interior décor, but something about the atmosphere inside pulled him in against his will, and even if Law had left him behind, he would have still walked inside this place.

A young woman came into view after she slid the rim of the turquoise tulle curtain very elegantly. The two men eyed her long dress which Sanji sure remembered seeing one of the empresses of the Pyramids carvings wearing. A glittering blend of white and gold on her dress, tight enough to show her hourglass-shaped body and flat stomach, her hair was long and dark in a fashion that reminded him of the darkest hours of the night where he looks out the window of his bedroom and just takes in the tranquility, and her sapphire blue eyes showed the brilliance of her sun-kissed skin.

She was beautiful, stunningly so.

“Welcome.” She said in a little of peculiar accent, “Bearer of the Dragon.”

It’s not the way she said it so flippantly that worried Sanji, it’s the fact that she knew who he was. He didn’t remember telling the info to anyone, so maybe, just maybe, that fortuneteller, Nefartari, wasn’t so bad and she could tell him what was to come.

“The noble swordsman,” she nodded towards Law’s direction, and then she gestured towards the cushion-strewn floor, all but surrounded by perfume candles of different sizes and colors. “Please, come in. Seat yourselves.” She smiled more to urge them inside.

The two men looked at each other, and shrugged. They’d already decided fuck _it_ and _life is too short to hesitate_ , which hadn’t been the same without Law. When Law and Sanji were the best of friends, they did all kind of crazy together. They used to finish each other’s sentences even, which was cute, in a nonromantic way, excuse you, but all of it was in the past and coming to understand that those kind of memories weren’t going to necessary stay just a memory overwhelmed Sanji, and he was suddenly consumed by childhood memories shared with Law. He shook himself off of his daydreams, glanced over at Nefartari, now walking in to do just as told.

 

 

KEITMEGKEITMEGKEITMEG

 

 

The Arabian young woman seated herself so gracefully in front of them, a conceited smile pulling on her lips. She observed the two guests with her big eyes, and settled to look at Sanji, “your reputation precedes you, Bearer of the Dragon. This one heard a lot about you.”

“Yea, about that,” Sanji swiped an index through the airs, “can you really read the future?”

She looked taken aback for a moment before she chuckled, “interesting.”

“What is?” he asked, baffled.

“You” She tilted her head, “you don’t seem curious about the rumors, or about the fact that people speak of things about you.”

This clueless creature! If only she knew how absolutely terrible she was making the situation there between the two friends who were still trying to get back to the swing of things. But Sanji then decides that okay, so she knew about the Imugi, didn’t that make her the real deal; and she spoke in third person, that’s some talent right there. Besides, if Law was so hell-bent on sticking around a lot from then on, then wasn’t it better to let him in on what’d been going on? He’s a hunter. And he’s going to ask a lot of question after this, but he’s still a hunter anyway, hopefully still owns that hunter’s drive and those quick instincts. He was trained for this kind of crap. And, wow, look at the other bright side, if some douche of a supernatural creature decides to take a large chunk of his meat –because those are just so hungry for his blood, Law could take the wheel from there. Well if he wanted back, then he’s gotta act the part; a bite to the ass is a little necessary price to pay.

“Let me guess,” He started, “mated to a true-blooded Alpha and that’s the only good thing about me, naive fella, impulsive and a die-hard fan of attracting troubles?”

She narrowed her eyes, “more or less.”

He glanced over at his childhood friend, and lifted his brows in a fashion that read ‘told you!’ before he looks back at Nefartari, completely ignoring how his friend was looking thoughtfully at him.

“And that you released a wandering Jiangshi, saved a Gumiho after stopping her from taking more lives” –she added on his behalf with a smirk, and because she had that tanned skin, it looked unreasonably sexy– “and this is this one’s personal favorite by the way, you took down another werewolf Alpha.”

“Yea well,” Sanji nodded his head, “she was a pain in my ass.”

“She’s a whore.” She counters, slowly cocking her brow.

“Whoa!” Sanji squared his shoulders, “something personal going on there or what?”

She smiled in silence, “Well, Sanji, you wish to know your future, don’t you?”

Said male only shrugged halfheartedly and then narrowed his eyes to look Law’s way, “wait, why aren’t you giving me the look?”

“What look?” the other barked.

Sanji made wild gesticulations with his hands, “the oh-my-God-my-friend-is-talking-about-fairies and the call-a-mental-house-ASAP look.”

Law chuckled and then shrugged, “you think all the other creatures know about the magic in your blood but hunters don’t?” he inquired, “you’re not as smart as you look then bud.”

Sanji shook his head at the comment, and he didn’t retaliate only because it gave him nostalgia.

Nefartari nodded in understanding, and now she switched to look at Law, “The Noble Swordsman,”

He smiled back to her and Sanji could literally see a spark clichéd as shit.

“Welcome back,” she said, “no place like home.”

“Indeed, miss.”

No wonder the freaking idiot hasn’t got any girlfriend yet, he keeps to himself, and _believe him_ , that may have cost you a friend in the past, this time, it’s going to cost you your entire social life that is already barely there to begin with.

“This one believes you want the same he does.”

 

**Now**

“It sounded totally sexual by the way.”

Zoro laughs, because it’s _so_ like Sanji to blurt out this kind of line during a serious conversation.

 

**Then**

So the young girl doffed a box, and Sanji wanted to bet his lunch money that it’s a crystal ball, but he soon learned he’d the fortunate he didn’t, because that wasn’t a crystal ball or any of the psychic crap most fortunetellers pull on people. It was rather a handful of sand inside a glass. She drew a fistful and scattered it over the plank.

The two young men watched intently.

Nefartari muttered a few words in some freaking dead tongue –because it all sounded like ‘boo ya dam la’ and Sanji never heard it, and he is a man of knowledge, as ridiculous as that sounds. But then the sand whirled smoothly as if moved by the wind. And as the two spectators kept on watching the show, Nefartari cowled deeply and finally spoke.

“This one will go into what to come in the path of the Noble Swordsman first,” she said, “he may not carry the same burdens you, Bearer of the Dragon, do, but he does have a purpose.”

When the two men nodded, she smiled assuredly and added, “Secrets are hideous,” she said, “heavy and troublesome.”

“Yea, been telling him that from the get go, believe me. He’s just too damn stubborn to listen.” Sanji complained, and Law shook his head sadly at the words, “it’s true though.”

Law chuckled and thumped him hard enough on the shoulder that he tethered to the side, “don’t be so harsh on my feelings,” he said, “we don’t want to open that can of worms again, and you know it.”

“Gentlemen,” Nefartari reminded the two dorks of the reason they were in an exotic shop in the first place, “the future is waiting?”

“Oh, sure. Sorry.” Sanji waved it off, “do your thing.”

“So, secrets,” she started, “This one does believe that the Noble Swordsman has a purpose to live to, but dividing its brunt makes it easier to carry.” She said, “And Sanji may be the Bearer of the Dragon, but he can share some of it for you, that _is_ what friendship is about. And since you two have a very long way to go, this one suggests you work on the tiniest aspects, because they matter, and because they make life a lot easier.”

The two of them gawked.

So, how in the bloody hell did they go from palm reading to Dr. Phil making assumptions about the mending relationship linking the two of them still?

“If you hide it, Trafalgar Law, if you try to run from it –” she warned.

 Wait, what? What was that she was talking about? Sanji wanted to hear it.

“You can trust this one’s words that it will come back to haunt you.”

At that, Sanji looked at his friend, who looked down in return. And for a second, Sanji thought of reprimanding him for the faulty excuse of a promise of ‘no secrets anymore’, but he remembered he had no right. And if his life was about to become like this –trying to extort secrets off of his surroundings while feeling like crap about it, then he’s better off without them –the secrets. It didn’t work with Zoro, and it certainly didn’t even work in the past with his childhood friend, nor will it now, and it’s about time Sanji got it into that thick skull of his –

 

 **Now** ,

“I don’t want to go into that argument again,” Zoro interrupted, his eyes scanning Sanji’s profile under the dim light of the two lamps beside the bed, “but what I do want to say regarding this is that spilling one’s heart isn’t necessary the definition of a relationship, nor it is its foundation.” Even if he’s contradicting himself, he says it all. “Don’t drill the opposite in your head, you’re smarter than that.” At this, he moves a stray strand of hair away from his mate’s face.

So Sanji continues retelling his part of the story.

 

 **Then** ,

After a moment of silence, Nefartari spoke again, “the ghosts of your past are still to come to life, they are part of your past and future, and most important of all, they are part of you.” She said, “They will draw you to your destiny beside The Bearer of the Dragon. Your fate is together.”

That alerted the two men.

“Excuse me?!” They exclaimed in unison.

She chuckled “this one means as Mage and Supporter.”

“Mage?” Law echoes as he finally looked a little interested.

She nodded, now turning her eyes on Sanji, “The Bearer of the Dragon is, indeed, The Mage.”

When they only gaped at her, she showed great patience as she waited for a reaction.

Sanji then lowered his head, his eyes searching his lap purposelessly, “not a witch?” he muttered, now looking up with a little new hope, “I’m not a witch then?”

“No.” Nefartari deadpanned, “you are not, in fact, a witch.”

“I’m sorry, isn't a warlock just a male-magic-user? What’s the difference?” Law just had to ask, damn nerds.

“Well, let’s just say that the major difference between them is the magic itself.” She responded, “Witches can’t manipulate it and use it freely without resorting to spells and rituals, sometimes dark magic from the Old Religion.” When she noticed that the other two were still listening, she expanded in her explanation, “Mages can’t become so unless they were born with magic, they can manipulate it and create it even. They can pull magical stunts no common magic practitioners can, even if they resort to The Old Religion.” She said, “unlike witches and common other sorcerers, enchanters and whatnot, Mages don’t need to learn any incantations to cast a spell, they can but use the power of their minds.” At that, she lifted a handful of sand again and sprinkled it across the floor, “but for undeveloped mages, that kind of skill requires a great deal of time and practice, and since Sanji hasn’t undergone any training, his chance to master this special ability is a challenge when it shouldn’t be to begin with.”

“Wait,” said male raised a hand to cut her off, “you might be wrong.”

“Wrong?” she repeated, “how?”

“Last time when I was under the attack of the Alpha Werewolf, I had no alternative to use but cast a spell, and there was this book with incantations of all sorts, and I used it, and it worked.”

She looked baffled for a second before she nodded her head, “understandable,” she said simply, “You can still use magic with or without incantations, the book was but a freebie.”

“I heard things,” Law started with his shy voice, “back with the hunters I worked with before. I heard that a descendant of a great Mage is rising, that he’ll end the Blue War and waste all the Supernatural.” He looked the fortuneteller in the eyes, “some of the people I worked with didn’t believe the rumor, but those who did, promised to kill him if the rumors ever proved to be true.”

“Humph!” Sanji snorted, “It’s a world filled with hate.” He commented, “Kill someone who isn’t even real.” He gave the ridiculous news a scrunched-face look, “I mean come on, Blue War? Even the name is ridiculous!” He drawled, scoffing, “a freaking six-year-old can tell it’s a fairytale. I can’t believe you dumped me for that sort of people. I’d have never done that to you. And FYI, it’s embarrassing as hell.”

“Sanji,” Nefartari sighed remorsefully, “it’s all true.” She said, “And even if you haven’t noticed anything, your powers are growing each day at a speeding rate. Greedy ones will want that power by their side for their own selfish resolves, and because there is no other like you, you will become the target of their schemes.”

“Look, lady,” he said, “none of that is true, you know why?” And when she just stared back at him so guilelessly, he sighed and answered for her, “because I’m no Mage, and even if you’re all trying to make it look like I’m half Naruto and half Merlin, I’m not.” He huffed, “I do have powers, I give you that, but that’s not who I am. The magic isn’t mine.” He shook his head ever so slightly and his lips suddenly broke into a smile, “and I don’t regret that it attracts trouble to my way, I don’t even regret the pain it gives me every damn minute, and if people still want a piece of me, then let ‘m come, I’ll waste them all.”

“That kind of resolve is no bravery, Bearer of the Dragon.” The girl warned.

“Yea well, at least I’m man enough to admit it.” He shrugged indifferently, “and it’s like I said, there is no Dragon, there is no Mage, and there’ll be no Blue War or Red War, this isn’t The Matrix.” He said, “Also, if you don’t have something concrete to offer, then you’re not charging me for the crappy reading.”

“A foe will cry,” Nefartari uttered in a vibrating tone that echoed across the room, “an ally will defy and reminiscences of The Bearer of the Dragon will die.” Her eyeballs slid under her lids as she carried on speaking like she’s just seen Ghandi in a diaper preaching about the greater good. “The Imugi shall rise from the ash and fly, and everywhere else, death and war will pry.”

The silence almost ate all of them alive, but then Sanji swallowed noisily.

“We don’t know that.” He bit out and shook his head like a kid not wanting to go to sleep when it’s past his bedtime.

“But this one does.” She smiled, her eyes finally returning to normal. “This one can see every bit of it.” she said, “The war _will_ happen, this one does not know when. The future is tomorrow, it is, also, beyond tomorrow.”

“Why me though?” He countered, “I don’t want any part of any war or death.”

 

He actually doesn’t tell Zoro the part where he told Nefartari and Law that he was happy with his life now, with his friend back from the dead, his pack and his beloved mate.

 

“It is destiny.” Nefartari reasoned. Perfect answer for any abnormalities madmen come up with.  “Sometimes, life makes the decision for us.” When he didn’t say anything back to that, she carried on talking, “those who helped you once will turn against you like the snake that bites the hand which fed it.” She said, “They will be your doom.”

Sanji’s eyes bugged out. He cleared his throat and asked, “And, by any chance, did you get a glimpse of their identity?”

The fortuneteller shook her head, “This one is sorry.” She apologized, “only you know.”

“Of course,” he scoffed. Isn’t that just convenient?

“This one sees your mate.” She clicked her knuckles on the plank, “The Second Alpha.”

Sanji and Law perked up alerted. “What about him?” Sanji inquired.

“He is unhealthy.” She informed, “he is ailing fast, he…” she stuttered worriedly.

Sanji’s own worry spiked up to the roof, “what about him? What’s wrong with him?”

“He…” she looked up, eyes brimming with terror, “he might be pregnant.”

Dead silence, until Law snorted at first, trying to stifle his laughter, but it all broke loose, and soon, he was on the floor, laughing his lungs out.

Sanji narrowed his eyes at her and pressed his lips together, “you’re a fraud.” Because the one who’d been getting it up the ass in this relationship had always been SANJI.

“But…” she pointed at the sand with two shaky hands, “this one sees it here.”

“Yea well, maybe you need glasses.” Sanji grunted as he stood up, motioning to law to do the same, “can’t believe I wasted over ten minutes listening to all your crap, but oh well, can’t deny it was fun.”

“But your mate is ailing.” She insisted.

Sanji sighed and rolled his eyes, and the fucker Law was still chuckling. He took the wheel when he stopped and cleared his throat, “look, miss” he started, “you do know that guys with, you know, _male_ genitalia, can’t exactly get pregnant.” He said, “But don’t you worry, we’re still paying.”

Nefartari eventually refused the money and only wished they _watch out_ for each other. Outside, Sanji and Law recounted the details with a sense of humor, and he actually dismissed talking about the part where he and Law talked about the Imugi and Law’s possible dark past which he refused to go into its details because, to Sanji, that’s something private between him and his childhood friend only; Sanji is still grateful for his innocent attempts at opening up. He understood how hard it must have been for him too, so he excused him.

It was later that night when the phone sex happened.

 

 **Now** ,

“That was fucking hot by the way, that is, until you hung up on me.”

Zoro only chuckles lovingly.

 

**Then,**

He was having a blast at Tsuru’s and the dinner was more than delicious. The feeling was nice with his childhood friend and his grandmother showing him affection and homey love. He had long since stopped feeling that way, not since when his parents died, so it was good to feel that again.

 

Zoro agrees by nodding genuinely.

 

Later that evening, Tsuru received a guest, and Sanji was very surprised to see Robin by the door, exchanging horrified glances with him and Law. Later, he learned a few things about her.

“I recognized Law the minute he stepped foot into this town,” She told him, her hands fiddling with the hems of her school uniform, even sitting over the sofa must have felt uncomfortable with how guilty she had looked, “his people tried to hunt me once when I was still a Gumiho, but of course they didn’t succeed. So when I recognized him I told him who I was, and what I changed to thanks to a special person, and because I knew you two were friends –and FYI I got the info from the pack, I decided to ask him to train me.”

“For what?” Sanji required.

“Look, Sanji, I know I should’ve discussed this with you first, but, lately, you’ve been so busy and I just didn’t want to pile it on, you know?” she shrugged, “after I realized that my powers weaken during my periods, I decided that I’d better find an alternative.”

Sanji leaned on his palm, amused at how constantly Robin insisted on going against his commands, “and did you?”

“Yes, I did.” She gushed, “I can use regular weapons when my powers aren’t working, and I’m really good at it now thanks to the training I undergo under Law’s supervision.”

Sanji took a moment to breathe in, to calm down before he threw punches instead of reasons. “Who else knows about this?”

“Just the two of you” She answered, her eyes trembling as she tried to look into Sanji’s.

“What about Zoro?” he asked, curiosity edging his tone.

“I don’t care if he does. I’m not part of his pack.” The defiance in her voice stopped Sanji from asking anything else.

He turned to look at his friend, “why didn’t you say anything about this to me?”

Law shrugged, “she made me promise not to.”

Sanji sighed dejectedly, “Do what you want,” he said, now sagging back in his chair, “it’s not like you listen to what I say anyway. Just remember that if you end up feeding off human organs again, I ain’t changing you back, you gotta appreciate what you’ve got now, Robin, none of it will last for you.”

“Sanji,” she started, “I’m training to become stronger, this is what I want for myself and I want your support.” She pleaded, “I didn’t wish to tell you anything at first because I feared you’d be against it. We’re so protective of each other and that’s where we’re so alike.” She smiled and it was genuine. “I won’t neglect my studies, I promise, but I ask you to allow me to follow on what I love the most.”

Her words left a strong impact on him, because he’s always admired people following their dreams despite the obstacles, and he’s always vowed to help those he can to achieve what they want, and here he was, with Robin gushing on about her dream to become stronger despite the powers she already hides in store, and he was finding difficulty giving his blessings because he felt responsible for her. But, that’s ironic. She’s lived more than he did and if there’s someone who knew what exactly they wanted for their life, it was her.

“Like I said,” he said, “if it all backfires, don’t count on me to fix it for you.”

Robin lightened up with her smiley face, pounced on him with flailing limbs that wanted to wrap him in a bone-crushing hug. “Thank you, Sanji.” She squeaked, “I’ll never forget this.”

“You better not.”

The rest of the night was spent with the three retelling stories from their past, exchanging funny comments, and then getting all sentimental about their departed families.

 

**Now,**

“So what happened after that?” Zoro demands, “You didn’t see the pack?”

Sanji nods, “the next day, yes.”

 

**Then,**

The following day, Sanji went to work, starting fresh because the morning had been dewy after the previous night’s rainfall. In between the time of his lunch break, he got a call from a stressed Keimi who worded her worry about something nagging her supernatural detectors, and Sanji tried to calm her down by promising to take her out later after his shift. When he hung up, Chopper appeared in front of him, almost scaring him to death. He told him about Zoro’s sickness, and when Sanji asked what kind of sickness that might be, the rabbit replied with reports about vomiting and symptoms that no werewolf should exhibit. So he waved him off, thinking it was a bluff, and Chopper left. He met Keimi after his shift, the two walked around their peaceful town as drizzles covered their faces and frames.

 

**Now,**

Sanji doesn’t tell him the kind of worry Keimi had, he thinks that if she wanted, she’d have told him herself, and that it’s better if he hears it from her rather than him. Which, okay, Zoro complements for a second before deciding his mate is right and he notes it to talk it out with his female beta after he’s dealt with Sanji.

With that being said, Sanji pauses for a moment, only chewing down his bottom lip and hesitating about something.

“What is it?” Zoro wonders aloud.

Now, Sanji has to think over the possibilities that might result from telling Zoro about the coincidental meetings with Mia, and he has only seconds to do that before Zoro shakes it off of him. He knows the pack’s been keeping a tight watch on him under Zoro’s orders, but what he doesn’t understand is how there’s been no reports back to the Alpha about those meetings. He doesn’t say he wants it to happen, God knows he couldn’t be more grateful it didn’t, especially with Zoro’s current condition. He has to be careful not to agitate him with anything; it’s already a miracle that he didn’t flip the switch when he got busted on the phone with Law. Now, though, he isn’t quite sure he can pull it off again. Sanji knows, for a fact, that there is still the final of his mate’s symptoms: spinal spasm, if he still recalls right, and sure, it is going to happen, but what he also knows is that it isn’t going to happen now. So there’s no need to speed up the process. He’s seen his mate wither in excruciating pain, and in all honesty, he doesn’t want to see that ever again. And what’s more, he doesn’t want the trivial meetings with Mia to be the reason. Hence the decision not to speak about it now, at least until Zoro is no longer under the danger of losing control over his wolf and, therefore, claws everyone around to death.

So he decides not to tell. But Zoro is still by his side, demanding what’s the matter with him going silent all of a sudden. And Sanji, even if he proves to be the most idiotic being, he still thinks up the greatest excuse.

He lifts his sparkling eyes and lets out a puff of air out of his nose. “Chopper came to me and warned me about your health, but I didn’t listen, perhaps if I did, you wouldn’t have had to undergo all that pain.” which is genuinely what he berates himself with every time he remembers.

Zoro shook his head, “No, you don’t get to start that bullshit on me now.” He warns, “We didn’t know, none of us did, you said it yourself.”

Sanji nodded faintly and sighs, “I know, and I still believe in that, but I can’t help but think of what ifs.”

“Move aside.” Zoro orders. He lifts off from his chair and waits for the order to be complied.

Sanji angles a cocky brow at his mate, “the bed is in the size of my whole apartment and you want to cram up next to me?”

Zoro rolls his eyes at the oblivious and evidently inexperienced man that’s his mate, and he lifts him up by the collar, paying no attention to the squeaks of complaints coming from Sanji at the sudden treatment, then, he flings him down on the bed sheets, only to mount him. The bed bounces slightly as the two eye each other. Zoro can see the realization slowly downing on his mate.

Took you long enough, you clown.

Sanji relaxes over the fluffy pillows with his hands roaming Zoro’s thighs, loving the feeling of touching _the_ Alpha with no discretion or reservation. “It’s good to know you have no objections regarding me and Law.”

“Oh, I do.” Zoro smirks, grinding on Sanji’s belly and making the other frown with pleasure, it’s the most endearing thing. “But right now,” saying so, he undoes Sanji’s belt in a teasing manner. “I just want to make love to my mate.”

It sends a volt of pleasure right to Sanji’s crotch, and it silences him as he waits in anticipation. Yes, words of reproach can wait; besides, lately, it’s become that kind of routine, getting rebuked for doing things his way. But right now, to hell to it all on waiting, he is with his mate who is obviously aroused as he is, and will stop at nothing to make love to him.

Once the belt loosens, Sanji expects his pants to get pulled down to his knees, but Zoro has other plans as he leaves it there and ducks instead to capture his mate’s lips in his, just kissing, very slowly and gracefully rhythmically. Sanji not only likes the feeling, he _loves_ it. He wants more of it. Is that even possible?

Touch-starved hands reach out for each other, fervent, wanting to touch more tangy sweat-coated skin, peeling the clothes off to expose more and more skin. Hands slide through smooth strands of hair, golden, dark hair, mingling. Lips searching for the wet tongues and hot flesh that narrows around its intruders.

 

Zoro hovers braced over his mate, brushing Sanji’s jaw with the tip of his nose, “Need you a little vocal for me.” He requires. He’s already prepped his mate and now he’s settled for bottoming in inside of him.

“You being a little creepy acting all nice to me,” Sanji breathes out, eyes closing on their own every time Zoro uses his hot lips to brush along his jawline.

A breathy mouth slides along his pulse point this time, and Sanji relents with a pornographic moan from the depths of his heart.

“Christ,” Zoro grits out, impatiently “Love it when you moan like that for me.”

Sanji brings a hand to Zoro’s hair and plays with a few strands, “Put it in, and you might hear more.”

Delighted at the offer, Zoro smirks, “How do you want it?” he whispers wetly.

Sanji leaves the discomfiture at bay, wanting to seize the opportunity of having his Alpha mate make him feel good, like he always does. “Not too hard,” he says, “and not fast.” He blushes though; the request is still a little embarrassing even for him.

“Oh, so you want me to be gentle?” Zoro exclaims with a vibrating chuckle.

“You gonna laugh at me now?” Sanji asks. He watches closely as Zoro parts his knees and dips himself into the hole, and Sanji shudders audibly at the intrusion and loving the sensation of his hole being stretched while Zoro’s invading her body.

“Why would I?” Zoro asks, now slowly discarding his mate’s knees in favor of propping himself up once he’s bottomed out, “you’re my mate, your needs matter to me the most.” He says so nonchalantly and seriously at the same time that it baffles him, “What you want is what I want.”

The penetration alone is done very slowly, the thrusting too is so slow… it all but drives Sanji insane.

But, tonight, this is exactly how he wants it.

Shameless, slow, moans of pleasures filling up the room, fingernails digging into skin, names whispered breathlessly into the ears.

 

Sanji has no idea how it ended up with him lying on his right side with Zoro thrusting into his refined hole from behind, and even helping him jerk off at the same time. But he doesn’t care, He knows Zoro can take care of it, and the fact that he doesn’t ask of him to suck him off is a thing of mystery, not that Sanji is looking forward to it, but he’s heard stories of how gay power tops demand low blowjobs of their partners. He is just so very glad Zoro isn’t like that because Sanji will need time to even consider that.

That time in the cell doesn’t count because he was drunk.

Zoro then lifts his mate’s left leg to place it over his own thigh for better penetration, still rubbing his leaky cock off after he came only once. Sanji, for a moment, doesn’t know what to do with his hands, but then he has a sudden desire to touch Zoro, and when he words it to his partner, Zoro all but agrees, even buries his face into the crook of Sanji’s neck, displaying his affection. “Told you, what you want is what I want.”

It vaguely reminds Sanji of a song.

Not that it matters though.

Despite the angle and the position, Sanji flings his left hand behind to touch Zoro’s hair, loving how Zoro is etching himself in Sanji like stone, marking him, loving him. He parts his lips and a string of small whines and delicious moans and whimpers come out of his mouth, interrupted now and then by Zoro’s name. Said man nibbles at Sanji’s earlobe, panting into it and growling about how fucking good it feels inside his mate.

All thoughts of anger are gone as the two melt into each other, coming once and going for more rounds. Zoro is filling up his mate, not only marking him from the outside by bite marks and hickeys, but from the inside, too.

 

It’s late into the night when the two finally flop down on their pillows, exhausted, sweaty and panting. Sanji cuddles, because, like he expressed it before, he wants it gentle, to the fullest. And since Zoro is giving free offers, Sanji won’t say no to the chance. He pecks light kisses along Zoro’s neck, uses his hands to massage the warm scalp hiding beneath that mop of black hair.

“So,” he starts, eyeing the closed eyes of his mate, “am I allowed to interrupt our pillow talk by bringing up Law, or are you too sexed out to even speak?”

Zoro licks his lips, now slowly opening his eyes, “J, you’re my mate. I won you fair and square.” He says, “But I have no right to stop you from seeing your friends, even if I practically own you; I still don’t have that kind of luxury. You’re not a thing, Sanji. I care about you, and I want what’s good for you, so if you want to meet with him more often, then so be it, I won’t stop you. Besides, that’d be too childish and selfish of me because I have my own friends, it won’t be fair to stop only you from having friends.” When Sanji only stares agape, Zoro adds, “You can meet up with him, and you don’t have to act all discreet when talking to him, either on the phone or whatever, but no more hiding secrets from me and acting behind my back, don’t want you acting like a smartass on the expense of our relationship.”

Silence grows awkward as Zoro anticipates an answer.

“You’re awesome.” Sanji suddenly gushes. He sits up, taking Zoro’s lips in his, and neither of them fails to notice how the kiss turns heated, so they both let it happen. “Zoro,” Sanji moans, straddling his mate for more contact, he feels their cocks trapped against one another between their stomachs, “you’re awesome babe, I mean it, I really mean it.”

Zoro relaxes on his back with an arm under his head, a conceited sneer covers his lips, “so where’s my reward then?”

Sanji licks his upper lip seductively, rolling his hips to add more friction so Zoro’s cock would grow more erect. “I’ll return the favor,” he says, “half of it anyway.”

Zoro chuckles, “yea,” he agrees, “but maybe next time.”

Sanji scowls, “why are you being an ass all of a sudden?”

Zoro pulls Sanji down beside him, wrapping his arms around him so securely, “because you’re still hurting, and you’ve got a knack for hiding your headaches for my sake, but I guess we both had enough tonight.” He says, “You need to sleep the pain off. I will pain-drain you, and you’re going to feel very tired and you’ll sleep eventually.”

Sanji rolls his eyes, but snuggles closer nevertheless. “You acting nice is really starting to scare me.”

“Better get used to it then.” Zoro chuckles, placing his hand over Sanji’s nape, “sleep. You need it.”

As Sanji gazes upon his mate’s face from where he is nested against the marble chest, he starts to feel himself slowly drowning into tasty sleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter miiiiiight be the finale for this season (haven't decided yet); but there's, like, a 88% chance. In any case, I hope you enjoyed this and, you know what to do, hit that <3 or leave your feedback or something about this chapter.   
> PEACE XX


	26. Finale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, this is the finale. I’ll be posting an announcement later with a link to the second season.
> 
> Second, the reason why Vivi said Zoro could be pregnant was because of his symptoms back then. So, he is not pregnant (it doesn't even make sense because he's an Alpha). They were just taunting him.
> 
> Third, check out this awesome fan art by Zauberkohle, and let her know that she needs to start drawing again! Drawing is art, and art is a treasure.  
> 
> https://ibb.co/b05ZnK

 

**Star Guest:**

Lin Lin Charlotte

 

 

 

 

 

The morning meets the snuggling pair in each other’s arms on the bed with someone pounding loud on the door. Zoro is the first to wake up, and when he glances over at his mate, he finds Sanji still counting the sheep. He looks around for his trousers, and isn’t that a good start this morning as he finds them at the foot of the bed. He puts them on; and for a moment, he contemplates whether he should wear his dress shirt but the banging on the door gets even louder, so he discards the idea and goes to answer the noisy guest. He edges the door just slightly open, finding his older sister in last night’s dress.

“What do you want?” he grits out, spitefully.

Kuina cranes her neck, trying to peek past him, “where’s J?”

He ushers with his head to the direction of the interior, “He’s still sleeping.”

“You didn’t do it too much I hope?” She narrows her eyes at him warningly. “That stench is kinda blocking my nose.”

Zoro scratches his forehead a little; if she has a fucking problem with the stench, she should just leave. “No.” He said, “he had a headache, had to put him to sleep.”

Recognition seeps in and she nods in agreement, “Anyways, mother called last night, and said to meet her back at home.”

Zoro puffs out agitatedly; well, that's something he was so not looking forward to hear on an empty stomach.

“I know.” Kuina says, “But she sounded really off, especially after she learned that the three of us went out together.” She looks down fleetingly before looking back up at her brother, “Zoro, she is adamant on making Sanji pay for this. I have no idea what she's planned but what I do know is that if we take him back to her now, things might get ugly.”

Zoro reads the concealed hint, “so what are you suggesting?”

“Let me come in first.” She prompts, “We need a plan, little brother.”

Zoro eyes her thoughtfully, and without any further ado, he edges the door wider. Kuina smirks triumphantly and walk in.

 

They seat themselves in the guest room, and Zoro offers her iced tea, but she declines in hopes to discuss matters of concern. That doesn’t stop Zoro from plucking a beer from the fridge though, and then he pops it open and leans on the window sill.

The sky is pretty dark outside, considering that September is closing in on them; this fall might be the coldest he’s felt in years.

“Last night after you two left, I sent Rona home,” she says, “and let me tell you, she wouldn’t stop talking about Trafalgar Law.”

“Yea, word will get out sooner or later.” Zoro shrugs, “besides, half the building heard him blurt out the fucking name, it’s not like we can stop the news from spreading out.”

“In any case,” Kuina carries on, “Mother called –and I knew better than to lie to her– so I told her J was with us, and she just flipped.” She shakes her head at the memory, “you know that ‘going against her orders’ story, I had to listen to it twice, but she got even more pissed and promised to make him pay for all this.”

Zoro only breaks into an odd sort of chuckle, “Well” -he sips from his beer like he hasn’t just learned his mother is plotting to hurt his mate, and then he adds- “I’d like to see her try.”

“When he wakes up, take him with you,” Kuina advises, “don’t let the two of them meet. I’m telling you, if things stay this way it might end up very bad.”

 

Inside the bedroom, Sanji wakes up to the sound of hushed murmurs encroaching on the remnants of his sleep, so he sits up to see if they have guests or if Zoro is simply talking on his phone, or has gone completely bonkers. He puts his boxer briefs on and dons his dress shirt, leaving the buttons open. When he nears the voices, he peeps from the plastered pillar.

Why does his luck keep disappointing him?

His eyes fall squarely on Kuina’s, and only then does he remember the super hearing powers, and he curses.

“Morning, sunshine,” She gushes, “care to join us?”

“I’m not really wearing enough clothes.” He says behind the wall, and winces when the two siblings share an equally curt laugh.

“You don’t have to worry about me, J.” Kuina assures, “I’m sure there isn’t something I haven’t seen before.”

Sanji eventually acquiesces, and he walks into the room with his disheveled hair and naked legs. Kuina eyes him from head to toe as he switches to look at her and then at Zoro who is looking bemusedly back at him.

“Well,” she hums, “guess I have now.”

Sanji slants his brows at her words and scurries to stand beside his mate, anything to escape Kuina’s penetrating gaze. Zoro then places the can in his other hand so he can hug Sanji’s lower back. Kuina smiles at the gesture and chooses not to comment on it.

“So I was saying,” She resumes, “it’s best if you two head back to town. I’ll go home and deal with mother. She just needs to feel like she’s got everything under control, otherwise, she won’t stop until she’s had what she wanted.”

“What’s going on?” Sanji requests, but Zoro shakes his head at him, motioning to him to stay out of it.

“If her words are correct, then I’ve got only a few days before my body undergoes the final symptom,” Zoro switches his weight on his other leg, “So,” he bobs his head only once, “I’ll make best of it and go to the court.”

Kuina’s head whips up, “You what?”

“I’ll take the shortcut.” Zoro shrugs nonchalantly, “if my mate’s identity is what’s causing this uproar then I’ll clarify the misunderstanding, and get this over with.”

“Zoro, we don’t know what he is yet.” Kuina breathes out solemnly. “They could hold that against you and they might even take him away from you.”

“Wait,” Sanji cuts them off, “how am I not allowed to get a vote on this when it’s about me?”

“Because” Zoro grits out, letting go of his mate only to look him in the eyes, “last time I gave you a choice you almost got yourself killed.” He tries to reason, and when Sanji parts his lips to protest, Zoro doesn’t even give him the satisfaction. “No,” he shakes his head only once but it’s final, “this time, it’s up to me to do something about it. I need to do this. I need to protect you and my pack.”

Sanji looks hard at him, envisioning possible scenarios of sort, and putting himself in Zoro’s shoes, “alright” he concludes, “you do what you gotta do.” Zoro nods. “But you gotta let me do what I can, too.” Sanji reminds, “we’re in this together, Zoro, and if they try to separate us, then I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve that I’d so much like to test on someone.” The cocky smirk on his lips is what silences Zoro and makes him resign to this clown’s wishes.

“You got it.” Zoro pulls him closer again. His eyes roam in his mate’s.

“So it’s decided.” Kuina heaves out a defeated sigh, “It doesn’t look like I can change your opinion about this now that you’ve set your minds, but I do wish you luck, you’re gonna need it.” Saying so, she lifts up to her feet, puffing out her chest with a benign smile coating her lips. “Just don’t get each other killed, pretty please?”

The other two only smile back at her, because, obviously, other than Nefertari the fraud’s crappy reading, no one can see the future.

“Last night was like a nightmare, I didn’t get a shuteye for eighteen hours and my feet are killing me.” She takes her high heels off and swings them beside her thigh, “another thing,” she says over her shoulder, “get at it like rabbits, we don’t really know what might happen after this.” Saying so, she lets out a small chuckle and leaves.

 

Sanji keeps on scrutinizing the direction she disappeared to, his brows slowly creasing over his forehead, “Do you think maybe we’re being hasty here? She looked really uncertain, and she’s a grown beta, I mean she knows the risks.”

When Zoro doesn’t even reply, Sanji snaps his head around to see why, only to get his lips caught in the Alpha’s. Sanji lets out a muffled moan, but he doesn’t mind how rough Zoro is kissing him, or how he’s pinning him to the wall behind after he’s discarded the half empty can on the stool of the window. Sanji wraps a leg around Zoro’s knee for support, and his hands clutch at his biceps. He kisses back, the intensity of the kiss growing evidently rough. Sanji, deep down, shies at the wet noises that result from them sucking on each other’s tongues and lips. He feels like a loser as he is the only one who moans into the kiss. When Zoro pulls way, both their lips are red and swollen.

“What was that?” Sanji pants, his eyes looking tremblingly into his mate’s, and then back at his lips.

Zoro grinds on his crotch, and rejoices when Sanji parts his lips and squeezes his eyes shut, letting his head flop to the back as he sighs pleasurably.

“Turn over.” Zoro orders in a whisper.

Sanji’s eyes snap open, and he clears his throat, “bed.”

Zoro’s smirk proves predatory when he leans in and shakes his head, “now turn over.” He orders again, “you might as well support yourself on the stool, you hear me? I’m picking up from we left off, and I think I’m in the mood to pamper you then get it rough.”

The eagerness alone makes Sanji’s cock vibrate under the fabric of his boxer briefs, and he knows that Zoro has already figured it out by now. He looks away from those hypnotizing eyes and turns around, his back to Zoro.

Zoro’s hands immediately take a good hold of his hips, gliding up very teasingly towards Sanji’s chest while he works his lips on the sensitive nape, leaving more marks in his wake. “Your hands, on the stool, now.”

Sanji obeys the order.

Zoro then releases him completely, only to tug on the waistband of the briefs and pull them down. Sanji does shy from the gesture, but he doesn’t voice his complaint, nor does he act upon it. Zoro surprises his mate when he parts his buttocks with two rough thumbs and rims the flesh between with his hot tongue.

“Zoro!” Sanji gasps, “What makes you think you can do that? People can see me, you know!”

“Tell me,” Zoro’s voice is a little muffled, “do I look like I care?”

“I do!” Sanji chides with his cheeks blushing. “It’s my ass that’s getting rimmed!”

“Part your legs more,” Zoro demands, and that’s probably the last straw that sends Sanji to a begging mess.

“Zoro,” he starts, still managing to stifle his moans, “let’s go the bed, you can do what you want there, please.”

Zoro pulls away, and Sanji’s knees almost buckle at the relief. It’s short-lived as Zoro pulls the round flesh apart and plunges two fingers into the puckered entrance.

Sanji mewls at the intrusion.

“I’ll do whatever I want here,” Zoro growls, his voice deep as usual. He scissors his fingers and gladdens inwardly when Sanji exhales with pleasure. It encourages his inner wolf and soon he finds himself licking the rim of Sanji’s ass again, still not taking his fingers out. “Wanna eat you out, Sanji, you’re too good for me.” He pants, “Gonna make you beg for it.”

Despite the pleasure, something very nostalgic waves in front of Sanji, and for the first time in a long time, he feels like he is really loved. “You don’t have to get discouraged at Kuina’s words. We can beat this, together.”

Zoro breaks his ministration for a moment, and Sanji thinks he’s just hit the bull’s eye. But then Zoro barks out a laugh and pecks a light kiss to Sanji’s ass cheek, “you think I’m doing this because I’m upset with the things she said?”

“You’re not?” Sanji asks, confusion settling in.

Zoro prods his fingers deeper until his mate moans again, “No, I’m not.” He answers, “Let’s just say, you wearing my shirt got me really turned on.”

Sanji scoffs, “it’s not yours, you pervert.”

“It’s mine.” Zoro insists. He takes his fingers out and levels up to his aching legs, “it’s a bit oversized and it smells of my cologne.”

The heat in Sanji's body starts going to his cheeks. He feels so grateful Zoro can’t see his face right now. He hears the rustling behind him as Zoro takes his trousers off and hurls them aside with his foot. He feels the tip of Zoro’s hard cock poking his ass. His own twitches and he pushes against Zoro’s.

“You probably don’t want to hear this,” Zoro says. He taps his cock over Sanji’s rim for a little bit before rubbing on it, enjoying Sanji’s small whines going out of control. “After she saw you, Kuina I mean, her heart started to beat like crazy, and although she tried to hide it, I could hear it.” He rubs more, and stares with raw hunger how Sanji parts his legs wider and pushes back against his cock, sighing lovingly. He leans into Sanji’s ear and whispers with his tone edging with arousal, “Lusting after you in front of me, she’s lucky I didn’t chop her head off right then, but then, you’re to blame, loitering around with that ass and that face.” His tongue snakes out momentarily to lick the inside of Sanji’s ear.

Sanji grips harder on the wood, sighing louder with every dirty word that comes out of Zoro’s lips, “Zoro ...”

“I’d almost see what she was thinking,” Zoro grunts, slowly humping Sanji’s rim, “she wanted to pin you down and finger you till you couldn’t take it anymore, and then get me to finish the job and fuck your brains out, so we’d both enjoy hearing you scream with pleasure.”

It’s sick, Sanji knows, but the filthy talk makes his cock jerk upwards with an angry red shade, seeking relief. “Zoro… God! Zoro!” He rears up onto his forearms to look over his shoulder at the other, panting air in and out as his legs tremble. “Please… I need…”

“Tell me.” Zoro prods the crown of his cock over Sanji’s anus. “Tell me, Sanji.” He orders in a voice gone to gravel with need, and he doesn’t miss the way it makes his mate shiver in response. “Tell me what you want.” He pulls his cock away and presses it in just slightly, making Sanji tilt his head to the back with a cry.

“You! I want you…oh god, Zoro please!” Sanji manages to get his hand behind enough to try and pull at his buttocks, frantic with desire and need, he begs. “Inside me, now, Zoro! Please!” he sounds so lewd, so needy. Zoro smirks so deeply. He plants his hands on either side of Sanji’s hips, lining the crown of his cock over the pit of pleasure. Sanji stiffens in anticipation, and Zoro doesn’t deny him what he wants as he slowly dives all the way in with one ruthless thrust, hitting his prostate head-on, consequently drawing a shout from Sanji as he spurts his cum all over the window.

Sanji shudders.

“You feeling that good from my cock?” Zoro asks. Without waiting for an answer that he’s sure isn’t going to come, he thrusts one more time, loving the sweet sounds Sanji keeps letting out. However, this isn’t really about Sanji; he already got what he wanted the night before. Today, it’s about Zoro’s inner wolf that wants to pound Sanji’s pretty ass over and over until he forgets how to speak.

“You know,” Zoro says, now bending more to switch the angle he’s going to thrust from, “Maybe I should’ve let her watch instead of teasing her like that,” He says, “you might enjoy it, even.”

“Zoro,” Sanji fights to speak past the sensual haze, “You know I wouldn’t.”

Zoro pauses for a moment, and Sanji sags on the sill, breathless. The abrupt pause worries Sanji so he turns just enough to look back at his mate.

“J,” the other grits, “I’m fighting to control this, but for some reason, the wolf in me wants to take over and I don’t think I can stop him.”

Sanji’s eyes widen in shock.

“He can’t hurt you, he won’t.” Zoro assures, “but I’m not sure what else he can do –you feel too good” Zoro’s face turns predatory again, and only then does Sanji understand the struggle Zoro is going through, “going to fuck you long and good, going to fill you up.”

It saddens Sanji that this isn’t the Zoro he knows and is familiar with, his Zoro, and although both of them are two sides of the same coin, it doesn’t stop his heart from giving unceasing throbs. This Zoro is a chatterbox of dirty talk, and nothing can stop him from getting what he wants, and that’s not how he knows his mate. But since the wolf is taking the wheel, then maybe Zoro is too low on stock and this guy is doing his part of the bargain to satisfy his needs. Sanji remembers how the Alpha complied last night, doing it very gently for his sake. The bastard, he said he wanted the same thing. Sanji is noting it to smack his head for hiding his real desire just to satisfy Sanji; this should be two-sided. They’re lovers above everything else, they should satisfy each other. Since this guy is out to make sure Zoro gets his share, Sanji isn’t going to stop him, in fact, he might as well help him. It’s not like he doesn’t want this.

Zoro snaps his hips vigorously, “you daydreaming at a time like this?”

Sanji pushes against Zoro, fucking himself on his cock. “More.” He mewls, “I want more, Zoro, fuck me more.”

Zoro growls. All words lost from him as he starts thrusting into Sanji’s hole. His speed and technique drawing more shouts of pleasure from Sanji. The latter can hear almost inhuman snarls coming from his Alpha’s mouth, and it only manages to arouse him even more.

He’s so engrossed with the feeling that he misses the faint swift of air over his neck, and then, all of a freaking sudden, fangs are digging into his skin, and Sanji arches his back and parts his lips, whimpering at the pleasure-induced pain.

Zoro sucks at his neck. Sanji can tell that Zoro is drawing blood and swallowing it to his heart’s content, which he shouldn’t be doing, considering all the crap it put him through the past few days.

When Zoro pulls away, a bloody bite mark on his neck is the only evidence of the possible disaster. He senses him lifting him up by the knees, and Sanji thanks that super strength or he’d be tipping forward and hitting his face with the window now. Zoro, then, speeds up the thrusting, giving Sanji no time to breathe.

“You’re clamping very tightly.” Zoro remarks with his breathless voice.

“Ah!” Sanji drawls wantonly, “so deep, oh God so fucking deep.”

Zoro growls in agreement, and fists Sanji’s cock despite the angle. “How lewd, you’re twitching away here” –he squeezes his grip on the member– “does it feel good?”

Sanji mewls, but doesn’t hate the feeling, if anything, he likes it, “So good, Zoro, you’re fucking me so good.” Moaning so, he places a hand over the one on his cock, and the other on Zoro’s forearm, “love it when you fuck me hard.”

As if pleased with the compliment, Zoro releases his mate’s cock and supports Sanji’s weight on his instead, parting his legs impossibly wider. Sanji quickly realizes that he’s in for another pleasurable round, so he braces for it, letting go of his cock and supporting himself on each of Zoro’s forearms. Zoro quits his teasing, and works over Sanji’s prostate vigorously, slamming against it until the wet sound of skin slapping skin reverberates across the room.

“Fuck!” Sanji shouts, his eyes shutting as he pants heavily, deep breathes going in and coming out, faster each time. “Right there, Zoro, fuck me there again, come on, babe, harder, do me harder.”

Zoro complies, and the outcome doesn’t disappoint either of them.

Sanji’s toes curl and he lunges forward in the air, supported only by Zoro’s hands, “So good!” He keens, “your cock feels so good thrusting into me hard!”

However, he doesn’t hear the puff of air coming down his ear again, and he only realizes the change in the atmosphere when _his_ Zoro speaks again, “He got you this worked up,” he says in his usually deep voice, “he must be good then.”

Sanji is so close to orgasm that he doesn’t care anymore, “you’re him, you idiot!” he gasps, “now more fucking, gonna –oh!”

Said male has just grund into his mate, hitting Sanji’s pleasure spot again.

“Gonna come!” Sanji cries out, “so good, Zoro, your cock is making me cum, gonna come, babe.”

Zoro pecks a kiss to Sanji’s temple, but careful not to slow his ministration down. “Me too” he says, “You feel so good.”

Just as the hot cum shoots inside of him, Sanji loses sense of time and place and lets himself come hard on the glass of the window. His head flops back on Zoro’s shoulder; the two of them pant, riding out their orgasm.

“He bit you.” Zoro suddenly points out, begrudgingly.

Sanji releases himself from Zoro’s hold and leans against the window, readjusting the shirt on him, “you keep referring to that as him.” He says, “You know it’s still you.”

Zoro gives him a baleful look, “he is not me.”  When Sanji only stares back blankly at him, Zoro picks up his trousers and puts it on again, and volunteers to speed it up and get it all done with. “You might want to go take a shower now, a long journey is ahead of us.”

Sanji is still a little bit shocked because he thought that maybe after opening up shamelessly like that during sex, Zoro wouldn’t hold himself the next time they decide to go for it. Sanji doesn’t expect him to always be gentle, he’s a man and he knows men have got ‘demands’. Since Zoro’s case is a little bit different, it’s more the reason for him to lower on the being shy about getting stark naked and stared at by a werewolf. Zoro, though, has just gone and blurted out something that could be traumatizing. So only when Sanji opens up like that does he learn that he wasn’t getting fucked by his mate, but by his inner wolf? Like that makes any sense. What the hell does that even mean? Is it a side-effect of the detox and consuming Sanji’s blood, or has Zoro always been like this and only now did Sanji realize.

Wait, what? A journey? “Where to?”

Zoro chugs down the remnants of his beer in one gulp, “you’ll find out soon.” He ushers to the direction of the bathroom as he walks to the fridge again, “go on, unless you want me in there too.”

Hell no!

Sanji picks his discarded briefs and makes for the bathroom.

 

Later when he comes out in a white bathrobe, he finds Zoro still standing by the window –which might still have Sanji’s semen on its glass by the way, with a fresh beer can in his hand. “What’s wrong?”

Zoro turns around, and he eyes the other for a while, and then he shrugs. “Got them to get us new clothes, breakfast is on the way.”

Sanji blinks a little too fast for a moment, and then he nods, “thanks.”

Zoro walks towards the other, and when he nears him, he eyes the recent bite mark on his neck. He waits until the silence gets unbearable before he looks away, “I better clean up too.” Saying so, he walks past Sanji who eyes his broad back until it disappears behind the next wall.

That was weird.

Indeed, Sanji finds a pair of dark jeans, a white shirt and white boat shoes, and, ahem, new boxer briefs on the bed. “Great.” He huffs indignantly. The awful fashion taste aside, the humiliation to have his boyfriend ask for briefs for him is just so crushing. To save face, he grabs two paper towel rolls and starts cleaning the window and its sill.

 

The room service came in and left, and Zoro is still taking his precious time. Sanji is so hungry he can eat a horse. “Zoro, I’m eating first!” He calls first bids on the newly-brewed coffee, and the delicious-looking scrambled eggs with toast and bacon. Oh and muffins, how sweet is that!

Half an hour later, Zoro finally makes an appearance, and he isn’t looking half bad either in his blue shirt, white ankle-length slim pants and single-strapped, dark brown marine loafers.

Compared to his gold player attire, Sanji admits his boyfriend looks really handsome.

Zoro approaches him while fixing his wrist watch, “you ready to leave?”

Sanji lifts a brow at him, “what, aren’t you going to eat first?”

Zoro eyes the food on the table; and he immediately crunches his face in distaste, “I don’t think I can stomach any food right now.”

It worries Sanji a little, and just then he remembers that not an hour ago, Zoro almost sucked him dry out of blood. “You’re not starting that whole detox thing, are you?”

Zoro fixes his shirt from the collar. He rummages inside his pocket and comes out with a square band aid, “here,” he grabs Sanji closer, “looked around in the bathroom and found this, might as well use it to hide that mark.”

Sanji actually lets him apply it for him, “you’ hiding the evidence, you criminal.”

Zoro doesn’t even comment on the joke, and Sanji then understands that his mate is not in the merriest of moods.

 

They’re walking out of the room when Sanji speaks casually, “has anyone told you you’ve got a real meanstreak?”

“No,” Zoro replies, pressing the bottom button of the elevator, “they say I’m pretty handsome though.”

Sanji looks up into the other’s eyes, and just when Zoro looks back at him with a deep smirk adding charisma to his radiant aura, the door to the elevator tings open.

 

They’re in the car, driving out of this town filled with aristocratic werewolves obviously liking to spend their evenings in one of the Ronoa’s fancy restaurants, when Sanji asks again, “where ‘we going again?”

“I don’t think I told you where for me to repeat it.” Zoro says, turning the wheel now.

“You got me,” Sanji chuckles, “but I really want to know where we’re going.”

Zoro purses his upper lip just fleetingly, and then he sighs a little, “Kuina told me mother’s plotting something.”

“What, like plotting on our expense?”

“Apparently.” Zoro says, curtly.

Sanji faces the road ahead spreading in turns like a snake, slightly shaded by massive trees; he takes another look outside the window to his side and realizes why he couldn’t see anything the night before. But this isn’t about the road, Zoro’s mother is plotting something and they’re driving to... great, he doesn’t even know their destination. “So what’s your plan? Go to the court?”

“Been thinking...” He starts, “maybe we should use that info the fortune teller gave you. Mother says you’re a descendant of some Alchemist, and some say you’re a witch and a vessel, and none of that can actually get us off the hook. But if we tell the court members that you’re actually a Mage, maybe that will get us a free pass so we can hurry up and get this over with.”

“What if it doesn’t work?”

After a moment where Zoro only chews on his bottom lip, he speaks again, “then I’ll take care of it my own way.”

And honestly, Sanji doesn’t want to know what Zoro’s way is. Especially with the upcoming symptom and the pain it causes. Not to mention Zoro bit him this morning. According to the man in question, that wasn’t really Zoro but his inner wolf, and Sanji can’t see the difference. He believes it’s some inner struggle where wolf Zoro and human Zoro are fighting for control. Wait a damn second, so isn't Zoro already changing into a Lycan? Then that gives the accident from this morning a totally different definition.

Sanji shakes his head. Too many thoughts that make his brain ache, and he knows his danger detector has nothing to do with it.

All of that aside, he’s kind of guessed what Zoro’s way could be because before they walked out of their hotel room, they agreed to do this together. And Sanji isn't about ready to break that promise.

 

*******

 

It’s been an entire hour and Zoro hasn’t said a word. It’s not the ephemeral chats what bothers him –and those were, you know, short-lived, it’s the fact that Zoro is mulling over something and not sharing its burden with Sanji. Well, he can go sulk eternally. Sanji has other things to do, like checking up on the kids for example?

He takes his phone out and dials Frank’s number.

“Sanji,” the other says in his usually calm tone, “how’s it going? How’s Mr. Ronoa?”

“You brat,” Sanji grits out “I’m the one who cared enough to call and your first concern is that big, sulky fur bull!”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” the boy immediately reflects, “but he’s the one changing into a Lycan,” so the news are already out, huh. “And he’s our Alpha. I’m sure you know how it works.”

Sanji glances over at his mate who is frowning at the windshield like it’s just offended him, is he trying to intimidate the poor thing or what? “So far so good.” He sighs, “So anyway, wanted to say hi and see how you guys are doing.” Saying so, he puts the other on the speaker and warns him about it. Apparently, Frank has no qualms with it.

“Been sticking to orders and looking after each other.” He reports, making Sanji sympathize with the kid. They all need to equalize, god damn. “Keimi caused us some trouble but it’s been taken care of, and everyone is saying hi, including Trafalgar Law.”

Sanji’s brows fly up at that, “Law’s there?” He gushes. From the corner of his eyes, he can see Zoro looking at him as closely as he looks at the road. Take that, Mr. Werewolf.

“Oh yes, he is.” Frank provides, “Uh, Mr. Ronoa, there’s something you might want to know.”

Hearing so, Sanji removes Zoro’s phone from its holder and replaces it with his instead.

“Go on.” It’s not technically an order, but every time Zoro uses that deep voice of his to say curt things like that, it just sounds like he’s ordering. It’s pretty hot too, Sanji thinks.

“We’ve received some complaints, apparently something’s been sucking the cheeps dry, something with the power to read minds. Now Law said that it might be a Chupacabra, and we’re sticking to that. He used to be a hunter and he’s a hundred percent sure about it, so I’m letting you know that we’re going after this thing without you.”

Sanji had no idea that they would go after things that go bump in the night in groups, they’re a pack of wolves so it makes sense. It’s not like this is the same as outside classes where students get to draw trees and the one with the best drawing wins, this is a serious blood with blood thing, someone might get hurt –badly hurt. So that explains why Zoro used to lead them. But the kids are trying to go after this Chupaca...dabra or whatever, by themselves. There’s no freaking way Zoro would agree with that, and this is only the logical side of it.

“Don’t make a mess.” Zoro says, tersely.

“Say what!” Sanji gasps, “You’re actually giving them the go?”

Zoro only shrugs.

Sanji rolls his eyes, his hands flop on his lap in an exasperated gesture. “That thing could be dangerous and you of all people should know that, who knows what it might do to them?”

“Law’s been on the hunting business for over seven years, he knows what he’s doing.” Zoro reasons, his eyes on the road.

“Yea well, Law wanted out and he’s washed his hands clean.” Sanji counters, “and don’t make this about him. You can’t let the kids deal with a scary-named monster.”

“Um, J” Law cuts in, “Chupacabras aren’t really that scary, and I’m pretty sure they aren’t that dangerous either. I killed one of those in Mexico six years ago. They really are just your out-of-the-mill fanged, Warthog lookalike kind of animals. Just a little faster, and did I mention they have telepathy abilities?”

“That’s really assuring, thanks Law.” Sanji sighs agilely.

“Sanji,” the other starts, and for some reason, Sanji knows he’s talking through a smile, “I wouldn’t allow them to tag along if I wasn’t sure this thing can be taken down. These guys need more practice, and that animal is but a target. I don’t know about you, but I really mean it when I say they can do this, and if you’re still unable to trust me,” Ouch, Law. Sanji can’t believe he’s still insecure about that. “You can at least trust the nine years of training I had.”

Sanji wants to tell him that he does trust him, at least he promised to try. But something nags him against it, and he keeps silent until someone else breaks the silence.

“And we’re not kids.” Luffy’s voice, damn brats with snarky tongues. “Mr. Roroa, we can do this.”

Sanji looks at Zoro, waiting for his answer to that. Zoro looks back at him, “call me again when you’re done.”

It’s all settled then when they hear beeping from the other end of the line, and Sanji can’t raise another argument.

 

“You’re a human, J, bet you’ve never had any training before and you’ve never even lifted a weapon.” He says moments later, “and the only thing that you can actually do is steal this Imugi’s power and use it as yours.”

Sanji fumes.

That half-assed heartfelt speech is half true though. Sanji’s going to admit only this much.

“So what’re you trying to get at?” He demands.

“If you’re going to be at my side from now on, then you have to be ready.” He informs, “Law is –used to be a hunter, and he’s pretty skilled. Robin can use some of that Gumiho’s powers, and my pack and I are werewolves, and you…” he points at his mate, “you need some backup plan. Don’t you think maybe it’s time you did something about it?”

Sanji gets it.

The seal on his wrist keeps proving that reality for him. He almost died a few times and although he was able to conjure up the portal, and use a few tricks on the Alpha werewolf, that was about it. He needs to be prepared, if he wants to stick around Zoro, he needs to be prepared.

He nods, and soon asks, “What’s the plan?”

“Let me train you.” Zoro deadpans, “help you get these powers under control, so I wouldn’t have to worry my ass off whenever you aren’t in my sight.”

“Hey now,” Sanji drones, “you signed up for this, OK? So don’t put the blame on me.”

Suddenly, Zoro smiles so broadly, it’s almost blinding. Just yesterday, he was thinking the same thing.

“What you smiling for, you creep?” The other urges.

Zoro shakes his head, and finally looks into Sanji’s eyes, “That’s right. I signed up for this, and so did you.” He says, “I don’t want to keep worrying about you whenever I’m away, and I want to keep you safe as well, so you in or what?”

Sanji chews on his bottom lip a little, and then he nods, “you got that straight.” He says, “I like a challenge, so I’m in.”

Zoro nods back, and the two look ahead at the road.

 

 

 

The vigorous bump is what throws Sanji out of his dreams. He sits up and looks around, and they are still in the car. Zoro must have been driving for a couple of hours now. He’s finally taken the left turn to a dirt road, gliding between the tree lines.

“The court is in the middle of… nowhere?” Sanji asks, bewildered.

“A tempest is heading our way,” Zoro reports, “I scanned the place while you were asleep, found a hut just up there.” The said hut finally comes into view and Zoro immediately pulls over. “We’re spending the night here.”

When Sanji gets out, the sky is so beautiful that he immediately doubts Zoro’s ability to read the weather, “dude, don’t you think if a tempest was really heading our way, then maybe I’d be seeing dark clouds or lightning at least?”

Zoro looks him up and down, and Sanji doesn’t understand the gesture. “I know what I’m saying,” he said, “now let’s get inside.”

Sanji checks the so called hut, and how did Zoro manage to get his freaking degree because “that’s not a hut, you idiot, that’s a cabin.” he huffs, “and it looks so damn scary. There’s no way I’m sleeping inside, there’d be some freaking dead body in there.”

Zoro rolls his eyes and walks up to the door.

“Hey, while you’re at it, check for a corpse, too.” Sanji says behind him.

“If you don’t get your ass here in three seconds, you’re going to be the dead body inside the hut.” Zoro threatens with his brows furrowed.

Sanji falters under that scary look –it’s probably scarier than the place itself. He thrusts his hands into his side pockets and walks up to the other man, “and it’s a cabin.”

 

The door creaks loudly at their intrusion. Sanji stands behind Zoro in case something pops up. He freaking hates jump scares.

“Stop acting like a wimp,” Zoro grits out, “there’s no dead body in here. I would have smelled it otherwise.”

That’s a little relief.

 

Sanji then ventures on by himself, exploring this place that is obviously not scary whatsoever, especially with the playboy clippings sticking to the walls and the coffee maker in the kitchen, it looks like somebody actually lived here not long ago –a man, too, unless she played for a different team.

“Did we just walk into someone else’s house?”

Zoro is hitting the small CRT TV, willing the static lines to vanish and be replaced by some colorful image. “This place's used by rangers,” He says, eyes still fixated on the TV screen. He bangs its surface every time the image disappears, “They’re responsible for keeping watch over these mountains, in case of some emergency with the hikers, or in case troublemakers decided to give them extra work. The mountain rangers analyze the problem then send word to their headquarter.” He turns around now, giving up on the TV, “if they get stuck in a storm, they use these hu–... cabins for shelter.”

Sanji nods in understanding.

“They always restock this place with supplies,” He offers, “so if you feel hungry, just look in the cupboards, food's in there.”

Sanji isn’t really hungry, but he wants to put Zoro’s statement to test as he scurries to the said cupboards and slides their doors open. He finds canned food, waffle boxes and cake bar boxes. He also finds bottle water in different sizes. “Hmm,” Sanji looks impressed, “guess you know a lot then.”

“It’s just you who doesn’t,” Zoro counters, “Come here, we’re to kick off the plan soon. Stop messing around and let’s get into it.”

Sanji sighs. He walks back to where Zoro is standing, and there are two torn sofas by his legs. Zoro ushers him to one of them and Sanji gladly sits. Zoro takes the other unoccupied one.

“Alright,” he starts.  He leans his elbows on his lap, “tell me what you can do with that magic.”

“Well,” Sanji said, “guess it’s gonna be a long night then.”

 

By the time Sanji finished telling Zoro about the sorcerer and the Imugi in his dreams, a windy sunset is already looming in on them.

“So it means you can wield both their powers.” Zoro concludes, “and with that amount of energy, I’m certain we can pull this off.”

“Yea, except I have no idea how.” Sanji reminds his mate of the downturn of his powers with a sigh. “First time was pure luck. I had found a book in the shop I work at, and I used it to take down your ex.” He shrugs, “but the book is gone now and I know zilch about incantations and whatnot.”

“You told me the fortuneteller said that you don’t need incantations,” Zoro says in a calm voice; it’d be deceptively calm. Sanji doesn’t want to dive into the core of questions of what other possibilities could be there to it. “We’ll start from there. We go step by step, levitating, moving things and all using the power of your mind.”

Sanji scoffs, “you sure sound hyped up.” He says, “I just want to remind you that I can’t, and I will spell it for you if you want me to, but I can’t levitate or move things with the power of my mind.” He quotes. “And the fortuneteller was a fraud. Everything that she said was all profane talk. I can’t use magic and I can’t take the red pill to open my mind for this. It’s not as easy as falling off a freaking log, Zoro.”

Zoro twines his fingers together and just nods in agreement. That doesn’t really stop him from moving to the next step into this as he looks around, spots a rusty, reddish spoon and he goes to fetch it. When he comes back, he tells Sanji to bend it.

Sanji chuckles, “first, it’s already rusted away,” he said, “and second, I can’t bend it.”

“Just try.” Zoro insists, placing the spoon in Sanji’s hand. “I’m only asking you to try.”

Sanji acquiesces eventually with a barely-perceptible sigh, “you’re so not helping.”

Just as requested, Sanji tries to use the ‘power of his mind’ to bend the damn thing, except “It’s not working and I’m only looking like I need to poop.”

“You didn’t even try!” Zoro exclaims, a hint of impatience in his tone.

Sanji flings him a scathing glare before he brings the poor-looking spoon in front of his eyes to try again. He really tries to focus. He used magic before, why should this be any different? He can do this, he told Zoro that they were going in this adventure together, and maybe this is where they should start. And, apparently, Zoro has already figured it out and is currently trying to guide his mate through.

But how is he supposed to do this?

“Zoro, I really have no idea how to start!”

“Look,” Zoro levers up to his feet, “you told me before that you have some connection with the Imugi, why don’t you try to use that for your advantage. He’s not staying in your body for free you know.” That flippant shrug he does just then gives the impression that he couldn’t care less about what happens, and Sanji wants to believe otherwise, but it’s so hard because reading Zoro is and has never been that easy. “I need to grab some stuff from the trunk, don’t slack off.”

Sanji watches as his mate walks out of the door.

 

A few minutes later, Zoro walks in with some blankets, a flashlight and two water bottles. Even though Sanji knows there’s already water inside the cabin, he also knows that he has no right to drink it. People can go without food, but surviving without water is just out of human options.

“You really thought this through, didn’t you?” A smile is twisting its way to Sanji’s lips.

Zoro discards the items on the sofa. He rummages inside his pockets and comes out with a match box. “There are some essential things that you just have to keep in your car.” Saying so, he walks up to the fireplace, places new wooden pieces inside and starts lighting the matches, “how’s your training going?”

“So this is the training that you wouldn’t shut up about?” Sanji waves the spoon in the air for emphasis.

When the fire whooshes inside the fireplace, Zoro stands up and looks back at Sanji. “That’s…” he looks at the wall to find the word, and he does, “warming up.” With a smirk, he adds, “Training starts tomorrow.”

Just then, the trees outside start rustling with more force as the wind picks up, and the lightening finally flashes like fireworks.

Sanji glances over at the direction of the window, and he finally admits Zoro’s remarkable gift in reading the weather. “So it’s really a storm.” When Zoro loiters around more, Sanji can’t stop watching what he’s doing.

Zoro looks around and finally finds what he’s been looking for: a vintage lantern. He brings the matches and lights up the candle inside. The orange light beams around him like a rising sun, and Sanji doesn’t mind watching that for the rest of the night. Zoro removes his jacket, and from Sanji’s vantage point, he can finally see Zoro’s clothed stack.

He becomes immediately consumed with flashbacks from this morning. Last night and other nights like yesterday. All the touching that he never knew he had the heart to allow, and be able to exchange with someone else. Not to mention a man. This man who was apt enough to remove the shackles of Sanji’s loneliness, creating a damn sanctuary for him. This man who was able to break down the walls Sanji’s spent years building in order to avoid getting another heartbreak. He introduced him to the upper sensations of passion and want and lust that he never knew even existed.

Sanji not only loves this man, he desires him. Every fiber in him tingles with lust and passion for his touches, trembles under the look in his eyes.

 

He wants Zoro.

He wants Zoro in him.

 

“Stop checking me up and giving off damn funny smells.” Zoro suddenly rebukes. He turns around to face the other, who’s obviously growing aroused by the look in his eyes, the fast heartbeat and the uneven breathing. “If that perverted soul of yours is free to have dirty fantasies –when it’s not even nine in the evening, how about you use it to work on enhancing your magic so we’d all go back to our normal lives?” Saying so, he walks back to the sofa and lifts the previously flung items in a heap. He slides the inside edge of the sofa up and he spreads it open, and Sanji realizes that it’s a sleeper sofa.

He looks away from his mate with an annoyed expression. It’s not his fault that Zoro makes him feel this way. But, sure, he needs to get a grip, work this out somehow and bend the damn spoon, but he also doesn’t know what the future has in store for them and he wants to make every second count. If they decided to separate them, or exile one of them or even burn Sanji like a marshmallow on a stick, he won’t have another chance to spend with his mate.

So it’s baffling, alright?

You know what, no one is going to get exiled or burnt if Sanji masters this trick. It’d be the onset of his powers blossoming to something actually useful. So this is his ticket to the way out. He only needs to practice.

All thoughts of Zoro or getting into his pants are forgotten as he only focuses on bending the object in his hand.

 

The minutes grow into hours…

 

Sanji finally looks up, tired all of a sudden. He glances over at his mate and finds him already snuggling over the blanket he’s spread on the sleeper sofa, dreaming with a crease across his forehead. Sanji smiles at the lovely sight. He goes to remove Zoro’s shoes. He picks up his blanket and flings it over Zoro because just one look at the window tells him that the night is going to grow impossibly colder.

Sanji’s fingers ghost over the crease on Zoro’s forehead in feather-like touches. It seems like it lulls Zoro somehow and he soon sighs and his face relaxes.

It’s decided.

There’s no sleep for Sanji until he’s bent the spoon.

The storm outside becomes more violent as it shakes the marvelous trees from their boles, makes the wooden walls of this cabin rattle as if in fear. And just as he’s guessed before, it’s gotten really chilly inside, and the makeshift bed Zoro’s made for himself looks really tempting.

But no, it’s not going to happen until Sanji has something to talk about to Zoro in the morning. This is just how it works.

 

The clock shows three when the storm is at its peak. Sanji is smiling at the spoon, a very wide, joyful and altogether stupid smile, because the spoon is finally bent. He did it. He finally did it, and he almost shouts it out but instantly remembers that Zoro is asleep, so better not give him a fright. But he won. Though what really helped him bend it is order Ryu to bend it for him, and apparently –although he passed it off as a joke, the Imugi did as he ordered and bent it for him. That’s a trial and probably just a beginner’s luck, so he tries to order Ryu to straighten the spoon for him. As he peers at the spoon, it slowly starts straightening up on its own.

It’s off-the-walls overwhelming, and it’s frightening at the same time.

The popping and crackling in the fireplace is what finally takes him out of his frenzy. He discards the spoon, and quickly goes to replace more wood so the fire doesn’t go out. He returns to the sleeper sofa, removes his shoes and crawls into the heap of blankets, warm and fluffy. He gazes upon his mate’s face, peaceful like the onset of this sabotaging storm.

But he knows Zoro is never that peaceful.

“I did it.” He whispers, an amiable smile tugging at his lips. “Zoro, I did it.”

But Zoro is still deep in slumber and no words make their way to him. Tomorrow, Sanji is going to tell him the good news, and he’ll show him what a good pupil he is.

 

Morning comes in a flash. Sanji turns to sleep on his back with a grunt. He can hear water dripping on some puddle, the echo resonates, slow and disturbing. When he remembers everything about last night, he wakes up more to tell Zoro, except the latter isn’t on the bed anymore. Sanji sits up, aspirant to find him some place around, but it’s silent, almost too so.

“Zoro?”

When no reply makes its way back to him, Sanji finally leaves the warmth and puts his shoes on. He calls out his mate’s name, and when he becomes certain that said man isn’t inside, he walks outside. Although the damage the storm has left behind is quite remarkable, he still can’t bring himself to care because he has another mission now. He finds no trace of the car, and it dawns on him that Zoro left this place without a word.

“Bastard.”

Sanji walks up to a tree to relieve himself next to its trunk, because, apparently, going back inside to use the toilet sounds rough. He walks back inside, grabs a bottle of water and uses it to wash. He brews some coffee and eats some of the muffins inside the cupboard. And just to be extra sure, he uses the same trick to bend a fork, and it does get bent. He smirks smugly and self-satisfyingly.

Today, he’s going to move on to a different training. He’s going to try to levitate things –after he puts the place back in order of course. Still getting stuck with house chores even though he can bend things with the power of his mind, how laughable!

When the room looks humbly neat, Sanji replaces the bent fork on the table, and tries to order it to float up. It’s a little harder than he had originally expected, and even commanding it to float up doesn’t do zilch. He thinks up a different approach, and he knows that if he wants to speak to Ryu in person, he has to get the lights knocked out of him. For some reason, the Imugi doesn’t show up unless Sanji loses grip on his consciousness. But that’s out of hand today, nobody is here to give him a good punch and he sure as hell can’t knock himself out. So what other options does he have left now?

Just then, he hears a knock on the door. He figures that it’s Zoro. Except his mate doesn’t have any reason to knock when he knows it’s only them in here. This actually alerts him in warning, and he approaches the door very carefully. “Yes?”

They knock again.

Sanji looks around for something to use as a weapon, but didn’t he bend a spoon and a fork already? That’s his new weapon. With that on mind, Sanji finally opens the door. He expects to find a robber, or a ranger maybe? Zoro did say those keep watch over these mountains in case of an emergency, and a storm hit last night, so maybe… But he finds no one.

He darts forward, hoping to find something, anything, but only the wind swivels across his face. He loses hope, though he remains skeptical because he did hear knocking and that wasn’t his imagination, but he doesn’t really do much about it.

He walks back inside, only to find a middle-aged woman, standing beside the fireplace, barefooted. She’s wearing a black leather jacket on a white dress that suits her short haircut.

Sanji’s heart almost drops to his stomach at her sight. He clears his throat, “who are you?”

She only smiles in return.

He asks again, getting a little incredulous by the sound of it. “You’re not a ghost, are you?”

She’s standing with her hands behind her back. When she loosens her grip, she comes out with a kitchen knife in her right hand. Sanji perks up immediately, lifting placating hands to ease her. It’s the fault of that damn fur ball, he should have kept driving. Sanji knew better than to dawdle in a place like this.

“Look, lady…” He starts, “how about you put the knife down so we can talk?”

She gives him a cold smirk and lifts the knife higher, and Sanji looks undecidedly horrified. She shoots towards him like a maniac with such vitality, and Sanji dashes towards the door. Before he could even step out, she grips him by the hair and pulls him back in. Sanji winces so bad as he staggers and falls back, he looks up at her as she tries to plunge the knife into his chest. He rolls away and lifts up to his feet again.

“Lady, you need to calm down!”

She lunges herself on him, trying to stab him again.

Sanji can only defend himself or try to get out of her way, because there is absolutely no way in hell he’s hitting a middle-aged woman. He didn’t have any headaches before she appeared, so that means she is not a supernatural entity. And ghosts tend to phase through objects so there’s that. The only explanation he has left now is that she’s human, and she must have come in through the window when he was looking outside. About the weapon in her hand, he can easily bend it.

When she tries to attack him again, he orders the knife to bend and it does. The woman stops midway. She inspects the knife and when she deems it useless, she tosses it away. Well, that might make her stop.

It doesn’t.

She comes at him with her bare hands, Sanji shoots for the door again because they’re not allowed to sabotage this place when it offers shelter to its seekers. So he runs towards the open and makes sure to run through a path that she can’t follow. But the damn lady is like that shit that crawls out of the well, she uses admirable skills to climb the fallen trees. She actually jumps from one to another. Sanji’s hope now is to make her fall when he rolls the trees down the hill.

This either works, or he dies.

“Ryu, lend me your power.” He mumbles, slowly closing his eyes. He imagines the fallen trees rolling. He imagines them running the crazy woman down but not really killing her, just bruising her a little bit. When he finally opens his eyes, he finds the trees that the storm managed to break have rolled down and stacked up haphazardly at the bottom of the hill. He quickly grows uneasy, fearing that the woman got buried under all that. “Hey, auntie!” He calls out as he hikes down very carefully, not to slip down since the earth is still pretty wet. “Are you alive in there?” he finally reaches the bottom and quickly starts removing the trunks, but they are so heavy and his anxiety shoots to the sky. “Lift them up!” he commands, extending his hand towards the heap of broken trees, and they slowly start to levitate. “Ma’am, are you alright?”

Without a forewarning, the woman jumps down from the branch of the adjacent tree, and hits Sanji’s head with a hard bough. Sanji hears the sirens in his head going off. He falls to the ground with an ominous thump, face-planting on a trunk’s ledge on his way down.

“Don’t call me auntie, silly boy.” She says, standing atop him. “I’m not even that old.”

Everything is swimming in Sanji’s vision, and he can hear nothing but the sirens in his head becoming louder.

“Hey now, kid.” The woman ducks a little, “if you faint on me now, there’s no guarantee I’ll take you back inside and keep you warm.”

He tries to listen, he really does. But all he can hear is someone talking from underwater.

“Sanji?” The woman asks, her brows gradually furrowing. “Are you okay?”

_Thanks for asking, but he’s not OK, you just tried to kill him, would you be?_

He shakes his head, and immediately regrets the movement because it sends him to a delirious state of nausea. He can’t pass out now. He needs to ask this woman how she knows his name.

“Just breathe through it.” She tells him, and that’s the bit he hears very clearly as his hearing heals. “You’ll be fine.”

“I told you to rough him up a little, not bash his head and render him useless.”

That’s Zoro’s voice!

“Yeah, well” she starts, “he was giving me a rough time using his magic.”

“You’re lucky he’s gonna heal from this.” It’s an assurance, but it’s also a warning, and that woman knows better than to say anything back to it.

Sanji sits up, but it’s all lethargic and slow. He strains to stand but the woman tells him to take it easy. He isn’t about to take advice from the person who tried to kill him in the first place. So he sits on the same truck he hit his head with, and he looks up at her. He finds Zoro standing beside her.

“Who’s she?”

“First, let’s go back inside. I need to stitch you up, you’re bleeding all over your head.” Zoro walks up to his mate, “and then we can talk.”

“Well, tough. I’m not leaving this spot until someone starts explaining.” Without meaning to, he slaps Zoro’s hand away when he tried to look him over. “Who is she?”

She smiles, but her smile now is very pleasant. “My name’s Lin.” She says, “I’m Zoro’s friend. I used to be a hunter.”

“Did you set her up against me before you OD off the woods?” Sanji winces when the pain in his head intensifies. Some of the dripping blood gets into his eye.

“He did.” Lin answers for Zoro, “unbeknownst to you, I live in these mountains. I couldn’t turn him down when I already owe his family so much.” She crouches to Sanji’'s eye-level, “I’m very sorry that our first encounter had to be like that, but for what it’s worth, you proved to be quite a handful.”

“Thanks, I guess?” He tells her, looking pale and ashen faced.

“You need to practice more though,” she remarks, “you make a lot of mistakes during combat and you hesitate a lot. But your reflexes are pretty fast for a newbie, and I admire your morals.” She ruffles his hair like how his mother used to do when he was a little kid, “ if you’re not careful though, they might get you killed.”

“Lin is going to be responsible for your training the next few days,” Zoro informs, now lending his hand to his mate, sneering as he waits for his hands to be caught. “Get ready to get roughed.”

Sanji rolls his eyes, “I can’t even wait.” He says in monotone. He takes that hand, but when Zoro pulls him up and closer to him, everything spins in Sanji’s head, and he leans heavily on his mate, panting irregularly. “Argh, Zoro…” he moans, “my head.”

“Yep,” Lin hums, “He’s gonna pass out.”

“Thanks for the input, granny.” Zoro huffs with reproach. “Quite the informative considering you’re the one who bashed his head like a damn piñata.”

Sanji leans in more onto Zoro’s shoulder, wishing to close his heavy lids. Zoro is waking him up with a vigorous yank, “J, I know you must be kinda woozy right now but would it bother you if I carried you in front of her?” He asks, “I know how you always throw tantrums, but your head needs stitches and I’m not ready for you to mess it up.”

Sanji is barely standing on his feet anymore. They’re shaking and buckling right under him. His lids are heavy as lead, and his head is beating in tandem with his heartbeat.

“J,” The other shakes him a little. “He’s awake but he can barely talk.” Zoro reports, “alright,” grunting, he slides an arm under Sanji’s neck and the other under his knees, “hold on tight, babe.”

Sanji wraps his arms around his mate’s neck, holding on for dear life. He sniffs in the scent of shampoo, the biting tingle of cologne and the delicious taste of musk, earth and water coming off of Zoro. The warmth that permeates from him like an oven draws Sanji closer.

 

“You used a knife?” Zoro suddenly barks, and Sanji knows by that they must be inside the cabin now.

“You rather I used my guns?” Lin counters.

“Hand-combat wouldn’t have been so bad, would it?” Zoro sighs, “if he doesn’t come out of this intact, you’ll only have yourself to blame.”

“He has magic,” the woman waves him off, “I’m sure he’s going to be just fine.”

He lays Sanji on the sofa, and quickly wraps him in the blanket he brought from the car last night. “Even though he uses magic, he’s still human.” His voice goes dangerously deeper, “I hope I don’t regret my decision from this morning, and I really hope I don’t have to kill you after this.”

Lin doesn’t really impugn his threat nor does she pass it off as a mere joke. She already knows that the two are mated, and if something does happen to Sanji because of her, she’s dead.

“There’s gotta be a first aid kit somewhere here.” She starts looking around frantically, opening cupboards and slamming them shut.

“Look in the trunk of my car.” He tells her. He takes out his handkerchief and dips it in water to wipe the blood off of Sanji’s head. “I brought one from town in case of an emergency.”

Turns out he’s using it on his mate, how ironic.

She dashes towards the car, delves through the bags and whatnot, finally finding the box at the bottom. When she comes back inside, she finds Zoro running his fingers through bloody locks. The gesture is so tender and smooth that she has to blink to make sure that that isn’t a hallucination –the emotionless and heartless werewolf she used to train when he was still the scatterbrained ditz, who thought he ruled the world, because this Zoro is full of… love.

It’s almost surreal.

“Bring it here.”

The look in his eyes turns cold all of a sudden as he ushers her to bring the box, and she’s a mother, and daughter and a lover who’s been put through some ordeals in her life, she knows people like Zoro –not that she knows that many like him, in fact, make it one, because there’s no other like Zoro, but she knows he never bears open his emotions to anyone. Except to this little guy here snoring on the sofa. Hopefully, he’s not dying from some internal bleeding. She’d end up dead if he was. And after witnessing those tender touches of Zoro on his mate, she’d hate to take Sanji away from him.

The process of stitching up the gashes on Sanji’s temple doesn’t take that long, and Zoro believes that the hard part is already over. Sanji should make a full recovery after some good and much needed rest.

 

When Sanji opens his eyes, the first thing he sees is the wooden ceiling covered in dancing shades of orange. He feels the heat coming off the fireplace invading all the corners. Though what he doesn’t know is that heat is actually radiating off of him. He’s comfortable, so that means he’s on the sleeper sofa and covered in blankets, and naked. He tries to look around for Zoro, but when he moves wrong, it makes him groan in pain.

“Don’t sit up just yet.” Zoro is soon peering down at him from his left side, “do you feel nauseous?”

Sanji parts his lips, but a cough comes out and, soon, he’s heaving.

“You might want to keep still, or else you're gonna reopen your stitches.” Zoro brings some water along. He slides a hand under Sanji’s head and lifts it up very slowly. “You’re running a little bit of a fever. You need to keep hydrated.”

Sanji drinks from that bottle placed on his lips, and it pacifies the dryness he’s felt eating him from the inside. He pulls away when he feels full, and Zoro lays his head back down very gently.

“Where’s...” Sanji starts, “Where’s she?”

“I sent her off.” Zoro said, “She messed up quite bad, Sanji, I’m sorry.”

Sanji tries to smile but it’s grimaced and wan, “so long as you’re aware of it.”

“But she’ll continue training you.” He reminds, “It was my fault. I didn’t warn her to take it easy on you because you’re human, but now that she knows, training will be smooth.”

“I won’t be able to take another bashing to my head, I tell you that.”

“I apologize for that.” Zoro is looking down somewhere over his lap, looks up only when Sanji tries to sit up. “You really shouldn’t be moving now.”

“Shut up,” Sanji rebukes, “I’m a man of my own and I can do whatever I want.” When he finally sits up, with Zoro’s help of course, his head flops on the latter’s shoulder. “I did it, Zoro, the training _you_ signed me to. I did it.”

Zoro’s hand goes up to Sanji’s hair, and he runs his fingers through the smooth locks in a very slow, circular motion. “I know,” he said, “I heard you last night.”

Sanji closes his eyes; the feeling of Zoro’s fingers in his hair sends him to heaven. The faint whiff of earth is coming off of Zoro and Sanji wants to grab it in his hands, even if he knows it’s not possible.

Is it even rational how much he’s vying to possess everything this man owns: his body, his heart and his soul.

Sanji tilts his head a little, just a little so that he has a good view of Zoro’s collar and the side of his neck. He shifts closer so that he can kiss the skin, and he rejoices inwardly when Zoro sighs pleasurably. He does it more, the movement more spoken as he grazes the area under Zoro’s ear with his teeth.

“Don’t force yourself,” Zoro mumbles, “I really don’t want you messing up my work. I stitched you up really good.”

So if he stitched him up really good, there’s nothing there for them to worry about, is there?

When he voices it out to his mate, Zoro actually chuckles, “you’re so sly.”

Sanji chuckles back, but it’s… sexier, so to speak. “Zoro…” Sanji calls out, almost in a cry. Reveling in the intimacy that he shares with Zoro, the intimacy that no one else can share with them. He snakes himself onto Zoro’s laps, his forearms on either of the man’s shoulders. Their eyes meet when Sanji looks down. Love and lust are their sole drive as they look hungrily into each other’s eyes. Zoro’s hands rub along Sanji’s thighs, loving how they feel on his. Sanji rolls his hips to hump on Zoro’s, letting him know that he’s already hard just from touching and thinking of Zoro all the time. “Zoro, hold me.”

The lust in the Alpha’s eyes doubles, and he chuckles very deeply, “that’s a very tempting offer.”

Said male bites down his bottom lips suggestively, “so why aren’t you taking it?”

“Because,” Zoro drawls, his hand going up to cup Sanji’s cheek, “your health comes first.”

“So you don’t wanna do it?” Sanji suddenly feels insulted, “is that what you’re telling me.”

Zoro narrows his eyes. He’s probably thinking of more ways to make it sound less blatant. “More or less.”

“Well,” Sanji huffs, lifting off of Zoro’s laps, “that’s a turnoff for you.”

Zoro watches as Sanji dives under the blankets and pretends to sleep, “J, come on,” he relents, now leaning behind him, “don’t be like this.”

Sanji blushes so hard when he feels Zoro’s cock erect and hard against his back, poking him with obvious force. He pushes against it inadvertently and Zoro mewls at the mere contact. It tells them both that he’s swelling, and he might burst.

But why is the fucker holding back so much that it hurts?

Zoro nears his lips to Sanji’s ear, “I wanna do it too but it’s just not possible right now.” He grunts as Sanji rolls his hips again, teasing the life out of his mate. He sighs into Sanji’s ear again, “lemme ,” he offers, “it’s the least I can do for you.”

When Sanji feels Zoro’s hand fighting its way into the fly, he starts squirming. “We’re not freaking teenagers, and I’m not gonna die if my stitches open.” Sanji bellows, “I want you inside me, Zoro. Is it that so fucking hard to understand?”

Suddenly, Zoro fists Sanji’s cock and starts jerking him off. Sanji feels that hot hand doing its fair share of the job of making him dizzy with desire. “You bastard…” He grits out, trying to stifle his moans.

That’s when he feels Zoro dispenses with masculine dignity and just humps his ass.

“Zoro, I’ll die if we don’t touch!” Sanji cries, “I swear I’ll die.”

Zoro releases him all together. He lifts off of the sleeper and Sanji feels the bounce of the sofa. He sits up and looks around.

“What is it?” He asks, “Why did you stop?”

Zoro comes back with a piece of clothing, “we really don’t want to stain the blankets.”

Sanji smiles warmly. He watches as Zoro places the cloth between them.

“That’s quite crafty.” Sanji chuckles happily, “sanitary too”. He places a hand on Zoro’s neck.

Zoro smiles darkly, and Sanji doesn’t know what to make of it again except add it to the mysterious traits Zoro exhibits now and then. He waits in anticipation as Zoro takes his lips in his, kissing each other. Zoro really loves the feeling of Sanji’s plump lips; they’re so kissable it’s unreal. He slowly lies down, bringing Sanji along with him. They don’t break the kiss until Sanji gasps when Zoro suddenly fists his cock again.

Zoro urges Sanji to look up as he rests his forehead on his. “Put your arm around me.”

“Would it have any use?” Sanji asks, doing as asked nevertheless.

“No,” Zoro says tersely, “but I love it when you cling to me.”

It’s stupid how the cheesy stuff Zoro says with a straight face make him blush like a maiden. So he just has to kiss him, he said so himself, he’ll die if they don’t touch.

Zoro undoes his fly and his cock springs out, hard and veiny like a cucumber. He closes his eyes and whimpers faintly. The damn pressure is finally gone. When he opens his eyes, Sanji is staring upon his face with a pair of lustful eyes.

“I don’t care if I die after this,” he pants, hugging Zoro more that there’s really not much space between them to speak of, “I want you inside me, Zoro, put it in.”

Sanji and his fucking tempting words!

It doesn’t matter that Sanji doesn’t care if he dies after this, Zoro does. He cares plenty that he’ll prevent himself from falling to the temptation. Sanji’s health comes first, doesn’t matter that Lin almost beat him to a pulp. The least he can try to do now is fight Sanji’s unbelievably tempting offer.

He fists both their cocks together, and he ignores how Sanji gets teary eyed from getting his invitation rejected. He rubs them off until orgasm. He didn’t fail to notice how Sanji kept on clinging to him as he moaned in pleasure next to his ear. When Zoro finally lets go, he uses the cloth to clean the mess. He watches as Sanji turns away and falls asleep almost instantly.

“Get some rest,” He whispers, “you need it.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the end, I'd like to say thank you guys for an awesome season! I've had so much fun writing these and I can't wait to start season two. I hope you liked and enjoyed the journey so far, but it isn't over yet. Actually, we're just getting started. 
> 
> I'm taking a short break after this, but I do hope that you continue to follow this story because we miiiiight have Mpreg Sanji soon *winks*
> 
> Let me know your thoughts of this season, and your requests or expectations for the second season and its new guests. 
> 
> Thank you `\ ^.^/`


End file.
